Government reaches out to opposition to push key bills in Parliament

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday reached out to the opposition leaders ahead of the Parliament session starting June 17, the first after the Modi government took charge for its second term, during which at least ten bills, including those on triple talaq, Aadhaar amendment, Companies Act amendment and Indian Medical Council, are likely to be taken up for discussion.
Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, along with Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Arjun Ram Meghwal, called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi requesting her support for smooth functioning of the House.
“Our meeting with Sonia Gandhi was very cordial. We sought her cooperation for the smooth functioning of Parliament. She said they (opposition) also need cooperation from treasury benches. I told her that the government has always been ready to cooperate,” Joshi told reporters after the meeting.
Ahead of the Parliament session, the cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs met on Friday evening at defence minister Rajnath Singh’s residence. Singh will head the meeting of the committee, whose members include home minister Amit Shah, who was also present in the meeting. Joshi’s visit to Gandhi’s residence is part of the government’s exercise to reach out to the opposition. The meeting lasted around 15 minutes. Joshi has also met leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and DMK’s leader of house in Lok Sabha T R Baalu.
Besides budget presentation, the government plans to convert into law 10 new ordinances, including the one to ban the practice of triple talaq. The ordinances were issued in February-March this year before the Lok Sabha polls. Sources said the government has convened an all-party meet in Parliament House on June 16 on the eve of the session.
The first session of the newly-elected Lok Sabha has been convened from June 17 to July 26 and the new government will present its first Budget on July 5.
Bills likely to be tabled include Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, National Commission for Homoeopathy, Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment), Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) and Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill.