Govt releases session agenda, to begin with Parliament's journey discussion

In addition to discussing India's parliamentary journey since the inception of the Samvidhan Sabha, session is expected to witness a shift in proceedings from the old Parliament building to the new

The five-day session of Parliament, the government said on Wednesday, will begin with a discussion on India’s 75-year parliamentary journey. The government also listed a Bill aimed at overturning the effect of a Supreme Court (SC) verdict regarding the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).

The government introduced the CEC and other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Bill in the Rajya Sabha (RS) on August 10, on the penultimate day of the monsoon session. If enacted, the Bill will establish a committee consisting of the Prime Minister (PM), the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Cabinet minister nominated by the PM to select members of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

This Bill will overturn the SC’s ruling by a five-judge Bench on March 2, which ruled that a high-powered committee comprising the PM, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India must pick the CECs and ECs.

The Opposition strongly protested the introduction of the Bill, accusing the government of attempting to undermine the ECI’s independence and diluting the SC Constitution Bench’s order.

Prior to the SC order, the practice was for the PM to select the CECs and ECs from a pool of suitable candidates suggested by the law ministry, with the President making the appointment based on the PM’s advice.

A vacancy will arise in the ECI early next year when Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey steps down on February 14 upon attaining the age of 65.

The government has also scheduled a discussion on ‘Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha — Achievements, Experiences, Memories, and Learnings’ for the first day of the five-day session of Parliament, beginning September 18.

During this session, the proceedings of Parliament are likely to transition from the old building to the new Parliament building. Other items listed for discussion in the Lok Sabha (LS) include The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, both of which were already passed by the RS on August 3.

Besides, The Post Office Bill 2023 has been listed in the LS business, according to an official bulletin. The Bill was initially introduced in the RS on August 10 and will be taken up by the LS once the RS passes it, as stated in the bulletin.

According to the government bulletin, the five-day session will mark the 13th session of the 17th LS and the 261st session of the RS.

The Constitution mandates that Parliament convene at least once every six months, allowing the government to schedule the next session of Parliament in February if it chooses to do so.

The Opposition had been demanding that the government make the agenda of the ‘special session’ public.