The Hindu Business Line : Out of season session

For the first time in recent times, Parliament has begun a session out of season in October. It is another matter that the authorities insist that the session is a continuation of the one that was specially called on July 21-22 for the trust vote in the Congress-led UPA government. Originally, the monsoon session was scheduled from August 11 but it never came off, provoking the Opposition to accuse the government of dodging discomfiture on the nuclear deal that had not be en concluded then.

The Indo-US civil nuclear agreement is a done deal now and will impact the session as it did the immediately preceding couple of sessions. Among other issues that will prominently figure are attacks on the Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, recent blasts and matters related to internal security and the global financial meltdown.

What is galling for the Manmohan Singh government is that not just the Opposition, but some of its close allies such as the DMK and the Samajwadi Party are intent on embarrassing it on the floor of the House. The Left has already given notice for a privilege motion against the Prime Minister on the nuclear deal.

DMK members from both Houses have given their resignation letters to the party chief over the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. The Samajwadi Party, the new-found friend of the UPA, plans to make life difficult for the treasury benches through its demand for a judicial probe into the Batla House encounter.

Turbulence ahead?

The government plans to introduce 16 Bills during the session, including Prevention of Corruption Amendment Bill, the Representation of the People, (second amendment Bill), the Right of Children to free and compulsory education Bill and Prevention of Money Laundering amendment Bill. The Women’s Reservation Bill is still with the Parliamentary Standing Committee. It can be taken up only after it is sent back to Parliament. The session is slated to end on November 21. The plan is to have as many as 24 sittings spread over 36 days.

According to speculation, the session may not last that long due to a variety of reasons. One of them is the series of State Assembly elections, beginning November 14. The Government also has thin legislative business to do, rendering a long session unnecessary. The political air in the capital is thick with the speculation of October-end dissolution of the Lok Sabha. What is indeed certain is that the session is going to be turbulent.

(The author, a former deputy editor with PTI, is a New Delhi-based freelance writer. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)