New Delhi: The Central government has released the agenda for the first day of the five-day Special Parliamentary Session beginning September 18, amid allegations by the Opposition over hidden motives “up their sleeves.”
The government has also convened a meeting of the floor leaders of all political parties on September 17, a day before the start of the session where it is likely to discuss its agenda in detail.
During the session, the government has also listed the bill on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners to be taken up for consideration and passage. The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the last Monsoon session.
“Discussion on ‘Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings'” will be held on September 18 besides other formal business like laying of papers.
The session is likely to see the proceedings of Parliament moving from the old building to the new Parliament building.
The other listed business for Lok Sabha includes ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’, already passed by Rajya Sabha on 3 August 2023.
Besides, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023’ has also been listed in the Lok Sabha business, according to an official bulletin. The bill was earlier introduced in Rajya Sabha on 10 August 2023.
The list of businesses is tentative and more items can be added.
Sharing the agenda for the special Parliament session on X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said it “is much ado about nothing” and all this could have waited till the Winter session in November, but added that the government could be having “legislative grenades” up its sleeves.
The Opposition has alleged that the Central government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is attempting to bring the ‘One Election, One Election’ law into place ahead of upcoming elections in five states – Telangana, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.
They have also stated that the Narendra Modi-led government is attempting to officially change the name of the country from India to Bharat after the grand opposition bloc named itself INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).
It has also been speculated that it could be about women’s reservation bills, the Uniform Civil Code, or other subjects.
Advocates Amendment Bill
The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which attempts to regulate the legal profession through a single Act and intends to combat “touts,” was approved by the Rajya Sabha. The amendment’s objective is to assist in regulating the legal profession under a single Act, the Advocates Act of 1961.
The Bill stipulates that each district judge and high court judge may compile and publish a list of ‘touts’ (those who find customers for attorneys in exchange for cash or other benefits).
According to the rules, the touts won’t be allowed inside the court premises and any breach of this clause will result in a fine and a sentence of up to three months in jail.
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023
The PRB Act, of 1867, which now oversees the registration of the print and publishing industries in the nation, will be replaced by this Bill.
The new Bill eliminates the provision for prosecuting and imprisoning publishers and tries to streamline the registration procedure for periodicals.
According to the new Bill, no one who has been found guilty by any court of a crime involving terrorism, illegal conduct, or anything else that compromises the security of the court will be allowed to publish a periodical.
The Act of 1867 stated that publishers and printers were obliged to submit a declaration before the DM which made providing false information a crime punishable by up to six months in jail, however, the new Bill will weaken this clause.
The Post Office Bill, 2023
The bill introduced by the Union government to revamp the Indian Post Office Act will permit employees to open parcels in the name of national or public security.
The officers will also have the power to divert the parcels to authorities over the suspicion of duty evasion.
The Bill also states that the Post Office and its employees shall not be liable by reason for any loss, misdelivery, delay, or damage that occurs while the services are being rendered.
The officers of the post office will also not be liable with respect to a service provided by the Post Office unless they have “acted fraudulently or wilfully caused loss, delay, or misdelivery of service.”
Appointment of election officers bill
The government had in the last session tabled in Rajya Sabha the contentious Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill that seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a cabinet minister in the panel for selection of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners.
The move will allow the government to have more control over the appointments of members of the poll panel.
The Bill was moved by the Law Minister amid an uproar by the opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool, AAP and the Left, that accused the government of “diluting and overturning” a Supreme Court Constitution bench order.
The Supreme Court in March ruled that a three-member panel, headed by the prime minister and comprising the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, will select the CEC and ECs till a law is framed by Parliament on the appointment of these commissioners.
The prime minister-led panel for the selection of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners will have the power to consider even those not short-listed by the cabinet secretary-led Search Committee, according to the bill introduced in Parliament.
According to Section 6 of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, a Search Committee headed by the cabinet secretary and comprising two other members not below the rank of secretary, having knowledge and experience in matters relating to elections, shall prepare a panel of five persons for consideration of the Selection Committee for appointment as the CEC and ECs.
According to Section 8 (2) of the proposed law, the Selection Committee may also consider any other person than those included in the panel by the Search Committee.
Section 7 (1) of the bill states that the CEC and ECs will be appointed by the president on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of the prime minister, who will be the chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the prime minister as members.
Where the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has not been recognised as such, the leader of the single largest party in opposition will be deemed to be the Leader of Opposition, the bill clarifies.
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