Contentious Bills, Bhagwant Mann Row To Stir Parliament This Week

New Delhi: Week 2 of parliament's monsoon session starts today and the government would like to shift focus to its crucial Goods and Services Tax bill, its top agenda this session. But today, the spotlight is expected to remain on Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Bhagwant Mann who drew the collective wrath of his colleagues last week by shooting a video in parliament and streaming it live on social media.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is expected to announce what action Mr Mann will face. Over a dozen complaints have been submitted to her by MPs across parties accusing the AAP lawmaker of a breach of privilege and a breach of Parliament's security.

On Friday Ms Mahajan said Mr Mann's offer of an "unconditional apology" was not enough. "The Speaker may suspend the AAP lawmaker for a week and refer the complaints against him to the ethics committee of the House," said sources in the Lok Sabha secretariat.

Harinder Singh Khalsa - the lawmaker who sits next to Mr Mann in the Lok Sabha and who was suspended by the Aam Aadmi Party - has made matters more difficult for Mr Mann by alleging that he comes to the House reeking of alcohol.

The government is hoping that some of the consensus displayed by political parties on the Mann issue will extend to the key legislations it has lined up this week, including the long-delayed GST bill.

Last week, the government's drive to pass the GST bill in this session received a major boost when the opposition agreed to fix five hours for discussing and passing it in the Rajya Sabha. But there is still no clarity on when will the bill will be taken up. The short session ends on August 12.

The government is keeping the Congress and other opposition parties engaged. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has met Congress leaders in the Rajya Sabha twice to work out a compromise.

The government also needs to keep the opposition in good humour as other contentious bills also are slated to be taken up in both Houses.