Parliament's first session after the national elections begins today. (FILE PHOTO)
Highlights
- Government will present Union Budget, introduce several key bills
- Opposition still in disarray after its decimation in national election
- Economic Survey will be presented before parliament on July 4
Parliament's first session after the national elections begins today, during which the government will present the Union budget and introduce several key bills. The budget will be presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 5. The interim budget was announced ahead of the elections in February. Ahead of the parliament session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an all-party meeting on Sunday to seek support on the smooth running of parliament. In a tweet, he called the meeting "fruitful". Among the bills likely to be introduced in this session is one that would make the practice of Triple
Talaq illegal.
Here are the top 10 points in this big story:
"We had a fruitful all-party meeting, the first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfil people's aspirations," PM Modi tweeted after the all-party meeting.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, who called the meeting, said the Prime Minister asked all the attending leaders to "introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people's aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted".
The opposition is still in disarray after its decimation in the national elections. The abysmal performance of the Congress has disqualified it yet again for the post of the Leader of the Opposition. The party is yet to name its leaders in either house. Mallikarjun Kharge, its leader in the last Lok Sabha, has lost the election and the party is hoping that Rahul Gandhi will take up the role.
The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be convened from June 17 to July 26. The oath ceremony for new lawmakers, election of the Speaker and the motion of thanks on the President's address are likely to take up the first few days.
The Economic Survey will be presented before parliament on July 4. At 11 am on July 5, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union budget. This would be the first budget by the minister, who handled the defence portfolio till the election. She succeeds Arun Jaitley, who has sought some time off on health grounds.
On June 19, PM Modi has invited presidents of all parties who have representatives in either house. The meeting is meant to discuss the "one nation, one election" issue, the celebration of 75 years of Independence in 2022 and the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, which is expected to be held this year, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.
On June 20, all the lawmakers of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are expected to have a dinner meeting, during which they would freely interact and exchange views with the government, Prahlad Joshi said. The initiative, he said, would go a long way in building team spirit among the lawmakers.
The BJP has a huge majority in the Lok Sabha -- the party won 303 seats in the national elections, a jump over its last time's score of 282 - making for smooth sailing of any bill in the lower house. But in the Rajya Sabha, the upper House, it still has a numerical disadvantage.
In a communique, the parliamentary affairs ministry said the resolution seeking extension of President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir will have to be approved by both Houses of Parliament by July 2. Ten Ordinances, which will stop operating by August 1, will have to be replaced by laws. Besides, some of the 446 bills that lapsed after the dissolution of 16th Lok Sabha are likely to be revived.
The first session of Lok Sabha will provide 30 sittings spread over 40 days in Lok Sabha and 27 sittings spread over 37 days sittings in the Rajya Sabha.
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