- The Union government listed a raft of key bills including one to change the mechanism for picking India’s election commissioners, in addition to a discussion on 75 years of the country’s parliamentary journey.
- The government listed various bills both for Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha separately in the released bulletin.
- Among these, the bill governing the selection of election commissioners is likely to prove argumentative.
- Earlier in the day, the government announced an all-party meeting ahead of the session.
- Opposition parties slammed the Centre for not sharing the reason or the agenda for the surprise session.
The Union government on Wednesday listed a raft of key bills including one to change the mechanism for picking India’s election commissioners, in addition to a discussion on 75 years of the country’s parliamentary journey, for the September 18-22 session beginning next week, giving the first glimpses of the legislative agenda for the special session.
The announcement came hours after the Centre said that a meeting of the floor leaders of all political parties would be held on Sunday, a day before the commencement of the special session of Parliament, even as Opposition parties slammed the Centre for not sharing the reason or the agenda for the surprise session.
Bulletins released by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha listed a discussion on the “parliamentary journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – achievements, experiences, memories and learnings” on the first day of the session, September 18.
In the Rajya Sabha, the government listed the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the monsoon session, for consideration and passage. Two more bills that were introduced in the previous session — the Post Office Bill, 2023 and the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, were listed for consideration and passage.
In the Lok Sabha, the government listed for consideration and passage two bills — the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 that were passed by the Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session. Two more bills the Post Office Bill, 2023 and the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 were listed for consideration and passing after they are cleared by the Rajya Sabha.
Among these, the bill governing the selection of election commissioners is likely to prove argumentative. According to the bill, the President will ratify the appointments following the recommendation of a selection body consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a Cabinet minister who would be nominated by the Prime Minister. A Constitution bench judgment had said that CEC and ECs will be chosen by a panel comprising the PM, the LoP (or the leader of the single largest Opposition party in Parliament) and the CJI, till Parliament passes a law on appointments.
Earlier in the day, the government announced an all-party meeting ahead of the session, which has sparked speculation that resolutions on the success of the Chandrayaan mission and the adoption of the Delhi Declaration at the recently concluded G20 Summit could also be taken up.
A meeting of senior ministers was held at Union defence minister Rajnath Singh’s residence to chalk out the strategy for the upcoming session that is likely to see Opposition parties rally against the government.
(With inputs from agencies)
