New Delhi: Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday for discussing the agenda for the monsoon session with them. Eyeing towards a “fruitful” monsoon session of Parliament, the Government has already reached out to the Opposition, assuring it to debate on any subject of their choice, two ruling coalition leaders said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aims to push through those legislations that have the potential to become political dividends for the ruling party, ahead of the state assembly elections and the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. It is particularly keen on the bill to create a national commission for Other Backward Castes. The Centre has also shortlisted the bill to criminalise instant triple talaq for passage during this session.
Senior functionaries’ have said that the top priority in legislative business would be on getting Parliament’s nod on the six ordinances that have been promulgated in the past few months. These are: The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of HCs (Amendment) Ordinance and the National Sports University Ordinance.
“We want Parliament to function this time to take up bills and other issues of public importance,” BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said. “The last session was a washout despite our best efforts. The Opposition’s behaviour was disappointing.”
The last session got washed out because of the uproar over Andhra Pradesh’ special status and the Cauvery water issues. The Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party also moved no-confidence motions against the Centre over denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, but they could not be taken to maintain order in the house.
The BJP sees the bill related to backward classes in particular as a politically symbolic move, since this is a constituency it has been wooing. They will also be crucial in the assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Parliament’s monsoon session will take place from July 18 to August 10.
