The government is expected to take up key bills in Parliament, where the Winter Session begins on Friday. These include the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which makes instant triple talaq a cognizable offence, and the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill.
The postponed Winter Session – scheduled for December 15 to January 5 – begins a day after the Assembly elections in Gujarat ended amid controversy over the Election Commission’s action against Congress President-designate Rahul Gandhi and his party accusing the poll panel of favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party. This is expected to affect productivity in the Houses.
This will also be the first time Gandhi leads his party in Parliament, as he is set to take over as Congress president on Saturday. BJP National President Amit Shah will attend his first session as a Rajya Sabha member.
On Thursday, two all-party meetings were held – one headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and the other by the ruling National Democratic Alliance. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested all parties to cooperate “to make this Parliament session a fruitful one”, Mint reported. Before these meetings, Opposition parties also held a separate meeting to discuss their strategy for the Parliament session.
Besides the bills on triple talaq and financial deposits, the other legislations on its agenda include an amendment bill that seeks to give the National Commission on Backward Classes constitutional status, three ordinances, including one on compensation for states under the Goods and Services Tax, and the National Medical Commission Bill to replace the Medical Council of India.
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