High-voltage political showdown is expected in Parliament’s monsoon session, which is likely to be held from July 20 to August 13. According to sources, the four-week session is expected to have 19 sittings.
With political realignments in several regional parties and an aggressive Opposition gearing up to corner the government, the session is expected to be highly contentious. Ahead of the session, the Lok Sabha Speaker may take a call on the reported merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who defected to the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). A decision is also likely on the seating arrangement of the rebel MPs in the Lok Sabha. TheNDA government, which is close to securing a two-thirds majority, is preparing to push several key legislations during the session, including two Constitution Amendment Bills. The government is likely to reintroduce the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill on women’s reservation and delimitation with proposed amendments. The revised Bill may include a provision to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies by 50%.
The 130th Constitutional Amendment Billmay propose that the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers vacate office if they remain in jail for more than 30 days. The Joint Parliamentary Committee is expected to recommend safeguards to prevent misuse of the provision.
The government is also likely to move forward with the extension given to the committee for the One Nation, One Election Bill. The contentious legislations relating to FCRA are also likely to come in the upcoming session. Other bills, Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, Anti-Doping reforms, increasing the number of Supreme Court judges, Corporate Law reforms, and the Securities Market Code could be brought for passage.
The Opposition is preparing to target the governmentover deficient monsoon, drought and floods, the NEET paper leak, the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Temple, rising petrol and diesel prices, inflation, and unemployment.
It is also expected to raise issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the government’s alleged role in splits within regional parties.
Meanwhile, after its recent electoralvictories in West Bengal and Assam, the BJP is expected to adopt an aggressive strategy during the session. Opposition parties are also likely to raise the issue of horsetrading by the ruling establishment in various states.
