Parliament Special Session To Commence Today; What We Expect? (twitter.com/jeevatwittz)

The five-day long special session of Parliament will commence on Monday September 18. Eight bills are scheduled and a strong speculation is circulating as the government will unveil unexpected legislative proposals during this session.

What to expect from the special session?

• Eight bills are scheduled for deliberation and potential approval, said Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi.
• Strong speculation on the possibility of the government unveiling unexpected legislative proposals during the session.
• A bill on the welfare of senior citizens and three to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes order have been added to the agenda, informed the leaders at an all-party meeting on Sunday.
• The Bill which seeks to change the method of appointment and conditions of service of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners is also taken in. It was presented in the Rajya Sabha in the previous Monsoon session and has drawn objection from the Opposition.
• 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, reported Hindustan Times.
• A bill to ensure quota for women in elected legislatures like Lok Sabha and state assemblies is also expected.
• ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill and a resolution to rename India as Bharat are also rumoured to be taken up.

What the leaders have said and what are their expectations?

Jairam Ramesh, MP – “The Congress Working Committee has demanded that the Women’s Reservation Bill must be passed during the Special Session of Parliament”.

Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP –  “Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had written a letter stating nine points but there has been no response…”

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief – “We hope that BJP does not add any new agenda suddenly during the special session of the Parliament. The sudden addition of new agenda does not give enough time to Parliamentarians to prepare which is not good for democracy”.

Gaurav Gogoi, Congress MP –  “Parliament does not belong to the ruling party or to the opposition but it belongs to the country. The government is accountable to the people of the country. It is an arrogant policy of the government that they will reveal the agenda 2-3 days before the session… They are keeping the people of the country in the dark.”

Syed Naseer Hussain, Congress MP – “Congress & the opposition will try to put forth the points according to the agenda…The issues of the public raised by the opposition should be discussed in the Parliament…”

HD Deve Gowda, former PM and JD(S) chief –  “I have come to attend the Parliament…Just wait and see the outcome of the discussion in Parliament…Why should I reveal now what I would like to say in the Parliament?…”

Pinaki Misra , MP – “The government”s agenda included seven bills but the BJD has strongly been demanding the passage of the Women”s Reservation Bill”.

Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti – “I believe it a positive step.”

K C Venugopal, Congress MP – This government”s parliamentary agenda is not at all transparent…This has not happened in the history of parliamentary democracy in India… They will not give an agenda, and after hue and cry, they will put an agenda…”

D Raja, CPI leader  – “That is a routine meeting called by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. But before calling the special session the government should have consulted the leaders of the opposition in both houses…Nobody knows what is the agenda for the special session. What are the issues that will be discussed?…”

Vijayasai Reddy, MP and National General Secretary of YSR Congress Party – “I attended the all-party floor leaders meeting to discuss the agenda points for the Session. Hoping for a peaceful, productive, and purposeful week ahead”.

Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs – “This only is the provision for agenda of the session in the law…When a session is called agenda is not circulated. The agenda is shared only a day or two before the session in the Business Advisory Committee(BAC) meeting/All-party meeting. The same happened during Congress”s rule…Why the Congress is so afraid?”

Sanjay Singh, MP and national spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party – “The government said they will tell the agenda of the Parliament Special Session later. “Everyone was surprised that they (government) didn”t feel the need to inform the MPs of the issues that will be discussed in the Parliament Special Session. The opposition parties, along with RLP and LJP, unanimously demanded to revoke the suspension of two MPs – mine and Raghav Chadha from Rajya Sabha”.

Shakti Singh Gohil, Congress MP – “It is said in our parliamentary practice & procedure that members should be shown the draft of the bill and government business…When a special session is being called the members should be told in advance about the business…It is for the first time that there will be no question hour or zero hour in this session…”

Abhishek Singhvi, Congress leader – “It is unfortunate that this government tells us everything very late…Discussions will be held on the various bills…”

Jagdambika Pal, BJP MP and former CM of UP – “We will discuss some key bills and hope that the opposition will participate in a meaningful discussion”.

Binoy Viswam, CPI MP – “They (Centre) tried to create the impression that this is a special Parliament session but today they pretended that there is no special session and it is a normal session. In that case, they have a duty to allow the members to have a zero-hour…Unanimously every party want the Women Reservation Bill to be passed”.

Pawan Khera, Congress leader – “Our demand through the CWC resolution yesterday was that since the bill is alive. That bill needs to be taken up in the forthcoming special session of the Parliament”

Pawan Khera, Congress leader – “The letter by Sonia (Gandhi) ji had an impact and that is why they have released an agenda. By looking at the agenda it can be said, what is there in this agenda that couldn”t have waited till the Winter session? There is something that hasn”t been shared, it is being kept secret…We will oppose the CEC bill”.

Supriya Sule, NCP Working President and Lok Sabha MP – “It”s very disappointing because we go to Delhi for some good work, good discussions, good debates and something we can all contribute towards building a strong nation with good policies. But that doesn”t seem to be happening in Delhi under this government, unfortunately.”