All-Party Meeting Today Amid Buzz Around ‘Full’ Agenda Of Special Parliamentary Session

New Delhi: The government will hold an all-party meeting on Sunday, hours before the five-day special parliamentary session from September 18-22. Taking to Twitter, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wrote, “Ahead of the Parliament session from the 18th of this month, an all-party floor leaders meeting has been convened on the 17th at 4.30 PM. The invitation for the same has been sent to leaders concerned through email. Letter to follow.”

Even though the main feature on the listed agenda is a special discussion on the Parliament’s journey of 75 years, speculations are rife that the government might move a resolution to change the country’s official name from India to Bharat, and also table the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, that advocates simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

In its agenda, the government has also listed the Bill on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners that are to be taken up for consideration and passage during the special session. The Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session.

There’s also a buzz that the special session has been convened to formally shift the Parliament to the new building which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28.

Meanwhile, the staffers of various departments in the Parliament are set to don the new uniform with floral motif, a move that the Congress dubbed as a “cheap tactic” of the ruling party to promote its election symbol.

Apart from the discussion on “Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings” scheduled for September 18, the government has listed in its agenda ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’, that are to be tabled in the Lok Sabha. The Bills have already been passed in Rajya Sabha on August 3.

According to an official bulletin, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023’ has also been listed in the Lok Sabha business. The Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha on August 10. The list of business issued by the government is tentative.

Notably, the special session was widely criticised by the Opposition, which slammed the government for choosing a date that clashes with Ganesh Chaturthi. The Opposition also took a dig at the government, saying the Parliament session was convened with any consultation with other political parties.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien also said that the “full” agenda has not been announced yet since the government bulletin has a ‘sinister line’. He further alleged that this is not the exhaustive list of business. “They will be up to dirty tricks, and they can add some business last minute,” PTI quoted the TMC leader as saying.