PARLIAMENT’S Monsoon Session Commences From Thursday

Addressing floor leaders of parties in The Rajya Sabha and The Lok Sabha ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning tomorrow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Government gives huge importance to the issues raised by all Political Parties and urged them to collectively strive to create a constructive atmosphere in the Session for national good. PM Modi expressed confidence that all political parties would cooperate in smoothly conducting the procedures and listed business in the short session.  There should be constructive discussion on issues of national importance, he added. A host of issues were brought up by the leaders of parties during the meeting. There was a consensus across party lines on ensuring smooth functioning of the Parliament without disruption and deadlocks to be resolved through constructive discussions in both the Houses. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananthkumar  later briefing media persons said that the Government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their co-operation for the smooth functioning of the of the Upper and Lower Houses . “The people of India want the Parliament to function. Government calls for cooperation from all parties in country’s interest”, he said. The Minister informed that all parties were in favour of a productive Monsoon session. The Government is always ready to discuss on the floor of the House, any issue as permitted under Rules of Procedure. The Government will leave no stone unturned to facilitate smooth functioning of the Parliament during the ensuing Monsoon Session, he added. Ananthkumar further informed that the Session  is scheduled to be held from Wednesday, 18th July, 2018, and subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session may conclude on Friday, 10th August, 2018. The Minister said that the Session will provide a total of 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days and 48* items have been identified for being taken up during the Monsoon Session, 2018. (*Includes 46 Bills and 02 financial item).Six Bills replacing ordinances namely (i) The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018; (ii) The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (iii) The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (iv) The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (v) The National Sports University Ordinance, 2018; and  (iv) The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 are required to be passed during the ensuing Monsoon Session. Further, some important pending legislations in the Houses required to be considered and passed during the Session are (i) The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018; (ii) The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2018; (iii)  The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016; (iv)  The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017; (v) The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017; (vi) The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017; (vii)  The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017; and (viii)  The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013.The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018. Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018. Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018. Union Territory Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018. Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment) Bill, 2018.The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018.The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018. The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment)Bill, 2018. The Dam Safety Bill, 2018. Opposition leaders have  included  the SC/ST reservation in the higher education system, growing instances of mob-lynching and the recent altercation between the Centre and the AAP government in the national capital.”We will not allow the House to function till an assurance is given by the government on the floor of the House on the reservation to SCs and STs in higher education,” Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav claimed.AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, “In the all-party meet chaired by PM, I raised the point of Delhi Govt being not allowed to work. After hearing everyone’s issues PM said all issues will be addressed on the floor of the house in the monsoon session”. Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge and Tariq Anwar sent a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying “Opposition has been very decent and dignified in its conduct which is verifiable from records of the House. It’s the ruling party which is denigrating Constitution and lowering the dignity of the House and Chair”.