The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, has recommended that the winter session of Parliament be held between December 15 and January 5.
This was announced by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar after the CCPA meeting here on Friday.
Under procedure
By procedure, the CCPA’s recommendation would be forwarded to the President for notification.
Dismissing criticism from the Opposition that the session was delayed by the ruling party’s engagement with the Assembly polls in Gujarat, Mr. Kumar said similar practices had been followed in the past under several Congress governments headed by Indira Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.
“We request and seek cooperation from all parties, including the Opposition, for the smooth functioning of both Houses to make this session fruitful,” he said.
‘Attendance mandatory’
Asked if MPs would be asked to be present in the House on January 1, Mr. Kumar said parliamentarians were supposed to be present on all working days, including on New Year’s day.
Important Bills expected to be introduced in the session include the one on triple talaq and the Constitution (123rd) Amendment Bill, 2017, also known as the OBC Bill, Mr. Kumar said, adding that there was a strong desire in the people that Parliament should legislate on these issues.
Three other Bills that will be taken up in the upcoming session to replace ordinances are the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States), 2017, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) and the Indian Forest (Amendment), he added.
The session will have 14 working days.