Last monsoon before election chill
PARLIAMENT SESSION Govt functionaries say six ordinances that have been promulgated in the past few months to be on the priority list
The central government and the Opposition camp are gearing up to confront each other in what is set to be a tumultuous monsoon session of Parliament where a long list of key bills are slated for passage.
The session assumes significance as this would be one of the last few chances of the BJP-led NDA government to pass important legislations that have the potential to reap political dividend for the ruling establishment. The Opposition, too, would like to seize the opportunity to highlight their pet issues inside the House to politically corner the BJP. With elections due in less than a year, both sides will be expected to deftly handle their floor management.
The session from July 18 to August 10 comes in the backdrop of the near washout of the second half of the Budget session.
Opposition parties such as the Congress, the Left Front, the DMK and the Trinamool Congress would seek to corner the government over issues like agrarian crisis and the situation in Kashmir, the Telugu Desam Party, the newest entrant in the Opposition camp, has threatened to move a no-confidence motion against the NDA government.
No-confidence motion moved by the YSR Congress Party and the TDP had led to long hours of logjam in the last session.
The government, on the other hand, is looking forward to the session to clear politically significant bills including the one to create a national commission for Other Backward Classes. The Centre has also shortlisted the bill criminalising instant triple talaq for this session.
Senior functionaries of the government said that top priority
NEW DELHI:
6 ordinances
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill
Bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes
The Codes of Wages, 2017 in the legislative business would be accorded to get Parliament’s nod on the six ordinances that have been promulgated in the past few months.
These are: The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance; The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance; The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance; The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance; The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance; and The National Sports University Ordinance.
“We want to pass as many legislation as possible but there are just 18 working days in the session,” Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha said a government official.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has called a meeting on Tuesday where she is expected to appeal for a smooth running of the House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties Monday met to chalk out a joint strategy on various issues for the upcoming session.
The parties held a discussion on fielding a joint candidate for the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, which fell vacant after the retirement of Congress leader PJ Kurien on July 1. Among the names doing the rounds include Trinamool leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, sources said.