Opposition to petition President if govt announces truncated winter session

The Congress-led Opposition parties are likely to petition President Ram Nath Kovind if the Narendra Modi government continues to delay convening the winter session of Parliament.

Sources in the government on Tuesday indicated that the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) could meet on Friday to announce the dates for the winter session.

Usually, the winter session is convened in the third week of November. The CCPA meets at least a fortnight prior to this to announce the dates and Members of Parliament are subsequently intimated. This, however, is yet to happen.

The Congress and other Opposition parties have demanded the winter session dates be announced immediately. These parties have said the government is delaying the session in view of the Gujarat assembly polls since it is scared of facing tough questions on the economy.

The Opposition parties are apprehensive that the government might curtail the winter session to less than 10 sittings by convening it once the voting for Gujarat assembly polls is completed. Gujarat is scheduled to poll in two phases - on December 9 and 14. The winter session usually ends a couple of days before Christmas.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, is talking to 17 other Opposition parties to formulate a common strategy on the issue. The floor leaders of these parties are likely to meet early next week. If by then the government fails to announce the dates, or announces a truncated winter session, the Opposition parties could petition the President.