A five-day session of Parliament is set to commence on Monday, with up to eight bills scheduled for deliberation and potential approval. There is significant speculation surrounding the possibility of the government unveiling unexpected legislative proposals during this session.
Additionally, discussions will center on Parliament’s 75-year history, and there will be a transition of House proceedings to a new building.
Earlier on Sunday, Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar, raised the national flag at the new Parliament building. Joshi mentioned that following a ceremony in the Central Hall of the current structure, the session will transition to the new Parliament building.
Pralhad Joshi announced that during the Five-day session, there are a total of eight bills scheduled for discussion and approval during the session. During an all-party meeting held on Sunday, floor leaders were informed that an additional bill concerning the well-being of senior citizens and three bills related to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes order have been included in the agenda.
Among the bills previously mentioned, there is one concerning the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners. This bill was presented in the Rajya Sabha in the previous Monsoon session and has faced opposition from the Opposition.
The contentious aspect of this bill is its aim to align the service conditions of the chief election commissioner and two election commissioners with those of the cabinet secretary, rather than a Supreme Court judge, which is the current practice.
While there hasn’t been any official confirmation regarding potential new legislation, certain reports have suggested that a few of the bills in question might encompass: The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022; The Post Office Bill, 2023; The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023; The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023; Senior Citizens Welfare Bill, 2023; and The Constitution (SC/ST) Order, 2023.
There has been a perspective, even within the BJP circles, advocating for a bill to guarantee women’s representation in elected bodies such as the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. When questioned about the government’s position on this request, Joshi replied that the government would make a “decision at an appropriate time”.
As per information provided in a Lok Sabha bulletin, the event will honor the extensive history of the Indian Parliament and make a commitment to transforming ‘Bharat’ into a developed nation by 2047.
Two topics that were rumored to be on the agenda for the special session of Parliament are the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill and a proposal to change the official name of India to ‘Bharat.’ According to details in a Lok Sabha bulletin, the event’s purpose is to celebrate the Parliament of India’s rich heritage and reaffirm the goal of advancing ‘Bharat’ into a developed nation by 2047.
As stated in the bulletin released by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, a group photograph session for all Members of Parliament (MPs) has been scheduled for 9.30 am on Tuesday.
An official mentioned that preparations have been made in the inner courtyard of the old building for this group photo. The government’s legislative activities are set to begin in the new building on September 20 for a Five-day session. It’s worth noting that all members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been invited for the group photograph on Tuesday morning.
