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Special session: CEC bill, Parl’s 75-year history on the agenda
While the government has been tight-lipped about the details of the session, the Opposition has questioned the timing of the session and complained about not having been taken on board
The Union government on Wednesday listed a raft of key bills including one to change the mechanism for picking India’s election commissioners, in addition to a discussion on 75 years of the country’s parliamentary journey, for the September 18-22 session beginning next week, giving the first glimpses of the legislative agenda for the special session.
The announcement came hours after the Centre said that a meeting of the floor leaders of all political parties will be held on Sunday, a day before the commencement of the special session of Parliament, even as Opposition parties slammed the Centre for not sharing the reason or the agenda for the surprise session.
To be sure, the legislative agenda for the special session -- which the government announced in a surprise move two weeks ago that sparked intense speculation -- need not be limited to the announcements made on Wednesday and can be expanded at any time.
Bulletins released by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha listed a discussion on “parliamentary journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – achievements, experiences, memories and learnings” on the first day of the session, September 18.
In the Rajya Sabha, the government listed the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the monsoon session, for consideration and passage. Two more bills that were introduced in the previous session -- the Post Office Bill, 2023 and the The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 -- were listed for consideration and passage.
In the Lok Sabha, the government listed for consideration and passage two bills -- the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 -- that were passed by the Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session. Two more bills -- the Post Office Bill, 2023 and the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 -- were listed for consideration and passing after they are cleared by the Rajya Sabha.
Among these, the bill governing the selection of election commissioners is likely to prove contentious. On August 10, the Centre tabled in the Rajya Sabha the proposed law that sought to effectively displace a Supreme Court judgment that divested the executive of the absolute power to appoint the CEC and ECs by including the Chief Justice of India (CJI) as a member of the selection panel.
According to the bill, the President will ratify the appointments following the recommendation of a selection body consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), and a Cabinet minister who would be nominated by the Prime Minister.
A Constitution bench judgment on March 2 had said that CEC and ECs will be chosen by a panel comprising the PM, the LoP (or the leader of the single largest Opposition party in Parliament) and the CJI, till Parliament passes a law on appointments.
The bill, moved by law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, stated that a search committee, headed by the cabinet secretary and comprising two other secretaries to the Government of India, shall shortlist a panel of five names for consideration of the selection committee for appointment as CEC and ECs. The selection panel can, however, also consider names other than those shortlisted by the search committee. It also clarified that when an EC is appointed as a CEC, they will get a maximum cumulative tenure of six years.
Earlier in the day, the government announced an all-party meeting ahead of the session, which has sparked speculation that resolutions on the success of the Chandrayaan mission and the adoption of the Delhi Declaration at the recently concluded G20 Summit could also be taken up.
There has also been talk that legislation related to women’s reservation, the Rohini Commission’s report on backward caste quotas, restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and officially renaming India as Bharat could be taken up.
“Ahead of the Parliament session from the 18th of this month, an all-party floor leaders meeting has been convened on the 17th at 4.30pm. The invitation for the same has been sent to the concerned leaders through email,” said Union minister for parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi.
A meeting of senior ministers was held at Union defence minister Rajnath Singh’s residence to chalk out strategy for the upcoming session that is likely to see Opposition parties rally against the government.
While the government has been tight-lipped about the details of the session and has asserted that the agenda for the session cannot be disclosed ahead of the meeting of the business advisory committee where time allocation for legislative work is decided, the Opposition has questioned the timing of the session and complained about not having been taken on board.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien said the government was not disclosing the complete agenda of the session. “I am sure the legislative grenades are being kept up their sleeves to be unleashed at the last moment as usual,” he posted on X. Reacting to the issue, Senior Congress leader took to X and said, “Finally, after pressure from Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s letter to the Prime Minister, the Modi Govt has condescended to announce the agenda for the special 5-day session of Parliament beginning September 18th.”
“The agenda as published at the moment, is much ado about nothing — all this could have waited till Winter session in November.”
“I am sure the legislative grenades are being kept up their sleeves to be unleashed at the last moment as usual. Parde ke peeche kuch aur hai! Regardless, the INDIA parties will steadfastly oppose the insidious CEC Bill,” he said.
