PremiumThe Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be held in the old building from the first week of December. Sources have said that the Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be concluded by the end of December. Sources have said that the final dates for the commencement and conclusion of the Winter Session of Parliament will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. All arrangements to hold the Winter Session of Parliament has begun in the old building.
While the session is likely to take place in the old building, the government is also contemplating a symbolic soft inauguration of the new building, sources were quoted as saying by PTI. The new Parliament building is being built at an estimated cost of over ₹1,200 crore.
The inauguration is likely scheduled for the end of this month or early December. As some constriction work stretched beyond the stipulated time, the government is now aiming to complete the new Parliament building before the start of the Winter Session.
The session usually starts from the third week of November with around 20 sittings. But there have been occasions when the session was held in December, during 2017 and 2018. This time, it is likely that the session will be held in the first week of December, the sources said.
Meanwhile, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 are scheduled in December. The counting for both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 will be held on December 8.
NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING
After the completion of the new Parliament building, it would take around 15-20 days to acquaint and train staffers to make the building fully functional and extend all assistance to MPs.
While the Winter Session won’t be held in the new Parliament building, it is highly likely that the Budget 2023 could be held in the new building.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier said the Centre would repeal more than 1,500 obsolete and archaic laws during the Winter Session.
(With inputs from PTI)