The Modi government on September 13 has finally revealed the agenda of the special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22. It listed a special discussion on Parliament’s journey of 75 years on the first day of the five-day session. The government has also listed the bill on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners to be discussed and passed during the session. The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the last Monsoon session. The other listed business for Lok Sabha includes ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’, already passed by Rajya Sabha on August 3. Besides, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023’ has also been listed in the Lok Sabha business, according to an official bulletin. The bill was earlier introduced in the Rajya Sabha on August 10.
The government earlier has kept the agenda of the special session under wraps and the secrecy has triggered a lot of speculations on why the special session has been called. The upcoming session will be the first such special session under the nine years of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government which had convened a special joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to mark the midnight GST roll-out on June 30, 2017. However, it will be a full-fledged session of five days this time with both Houses meeting separately as they usually do during sessions. Generally, three parliamentary sessions are held in a year – Budget, Monsoon and Winter sessions.
Since the agenda has not been informed yet, speculations are doing the rounds that the government may push some showpiece bills ahead of key state assembly polls followed by next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Speculations are doing the rounds that the Modi government may introduce some key bills in the special session of the Parliament. There are also speculations that the government may call for an early Lok Sabha elections that are due to be held next year. But the agenda of the Parliament’s session cannot remain secret because the business advisory committee and also the political parties had to be informed on the agenda of the session at least a week before by the government.
With the government not spelling out its agenda, speculations were rife that some showpiece bills were being considered for passage by the Modi dispensation in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The Modi government does not have the majority in Rajya Sabha and so it will be difficult for it to push any bill that the opposition is opposed to. The government knew all these facts. The last time Parliament had met outside its three usual sessions was at midnight of June 30, 2017, to mark the rollout of GST. However, it was a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. However, it was not a proper session as is the case this time with both the Houses assembling. Earlier in August 1997, a six-day special sitting was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of India’s independence.
