Parliament’s winter session scheduled from November 25 to December 20
There is speculation that the controversial Waqf amendment bill might be pushed by the government during the winter session of Parliament
The winter session of Parliament in which the government is likely to try and pass the controversial Waqf amendment bill, has been scheduled from November 25 to December 20, starting two days after the announcement of results to high-stake assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
“Hon’ble President, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Winter Session, 2024 from 25th November to 20th December, 2024 (subject to exigencies of parliamentary business). On 26th November, 2024 (Constitution Day), 75th Anniversary of the adoption of Constitution, the event would be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan,” announced parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju.
This will be the third session of the 18th Lok Sabha, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA returned to power with a historic mandate, equalling India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of a consecutive third term.
Even as the government is yet to unveil its agenda for the session, there is speculation that the bill to amend the 1995 Waqf Act on Islamic charitable endowments might be pushed by the government for passage in both Houses. The legislation has been referred to a joint panel of Parliament for further scrutiny after the Congress-led Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance opposed the proposed law in its present form.
Congress leader K C Venugopal had slammed the bill saying it amounted to an attack on the Constitution. “Waqf properties come from donations. It [bill] violates Article 26 of the Constitution [guaranteeing the right to form and maintain institutions for religious and charitable intents]. In this bill, they [the government] are putting a provision that non-Muslims can also be members of the governing council,” Venugopal said.
He called the provision an attack on faith and freedom of religion.
According to the PRS Legislative Research, there are 30 pieces of legislation pending before the two Houses of Parliament. The list includes: The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024, The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, The Boilers Bill, 2024, The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024, The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024.
The last session turned out to be a productive yet rancorous one that saw landmark bills and the first Union Budget after the 2024 election but also frequent tussles between Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Opposition, walkouts and protests in both sessions. It ended on August 9, rather than August 12 when the two Houses were slated to be adjourned sine die.
While the session was on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India. External affairs minister S Jaishankar held an all-party meeting to discuss the Bangladesh situation and also gave two suo-moto statements on the situation in that country.
The Finance Bill, 2024, The Appropriation Bill, 2024 and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2024 were approved by Parliament during the session and The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 was approved in the Lok Sabha.
In the second session of the 18th Lok Sabha, the productivity or the utilisation of time stood at 136% in the Lok Sabha and 112% in the Rajya Sabha. The government brought 11 new bills including The Waqf (Amendment) Bill that stipulates that only a person practising Islam for at least five years may declare a waqf (endowment) and allows non-Muslims, women and backward classes of Muslims to become members of the Waqf board.