The special session of Parliament is likely to be held in the old building.
New Delhi:
The government has called for a “special session of Parliament” to be held from September 18 to 22. There will be five sittings, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Amid Amrit Kaal, looking forward to having a fruitful discussion and debate in Parliament,” Mr Joshi said.
Government sources have, so far, been tight-lipped on possible agendas. It is unclear if this special session will be held in the new Parliament building, although sources suggest this will not be the case.
Also, it may not be a joint session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Special Session of Parliament (13th Session of 17th Lok Sabha and 261st Session of Rajya Sabha) is being called from 18th to 22nd September having 5 sittings. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to have fruitful discussions and debate in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/b3PIRngpOs
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) August 31, 2023
Government sources have, though, also said the agenda is likely to include Amrit Kaal celebrations and India as a ‘developed nation’. There is no hint of any important bill that will be passed.
The timing of the special session is interesting, though, as it coincides with the mega opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A’s third meeting in Mumbai. The 28-party grouping has declared its intention to bring down the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in next year’s general election.
READ |INDIA Bloc Has Several Choices For PM Post, BJP Has One: Uddhav Thackeray
The special session will also take place amid several major developments, including India having just hosted the G20 Summit in Delhi; this will be in the national capital between September 8 and 10.
In addition, the session will also take place after the Supreme Court was told the government is open to the conduct of elections in Jammu and Kashmir. During the court’s hearing on multiple petitions challenging the government’s scrapping of Article 370 in J&K, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said the decision on when to hold elections in the former state lay in the hands of central and state poll bodies.
READ | Kapil Sibal, Centre’s Lawyer In Heated Argument During Article 370 Hearing
However, on a timeline for restoration of statehood to J&K – a question posed by the court on Wednesday, Mr Mehta said the government is “unable to give an exact time period for conversion”.
What Was Last Parliament Session?
The last session of Parliament was the Monsoon Session, which began on July 20 and wrapped up on August 12; 23 bills were passed by the government on that occasion. The session was marked by several protests from the opposition on a number of issues, including the violence in Manipur and ruckus over the contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Most significantly, the session also witnessed a dramatic, three-day-long debate on a ‘no confidence’ motion introduced by the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi ruling in Telangana.
READ | Monsoon Session Ends: Political Tone Set For 2024, Big Ticket Bills Passed
Several top leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, took on the government, for whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the fightback, setting the tone for the big Lok Sabha battle of 2024.
