Govt calls ‘special session’ of Parl between Sep 18-22, keeps agenda under wraps

New Delhi, Aug 31: The government on Thursday announced a “special session” of Parliament for five days between September 18 and 22 but kept the agenda for it under wraps, triggering speculation.
“Special Session of Parliament (13th Session of 17th Lok Sabha and 261st Session of Rajya Sabha) is being called from 18th to 22nd September having five sittings. Amid Amrit Kaal, looking forward to having fruitful discussions and debate in Parliament,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on X.
It will be the first such special session under the nine years of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government which had convened a special joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to mark the midnight GST roll-out on June 30, 2017. However, it will be a full-fledged session of five days. Generally, three parliamentary sessions are held in a year – Budget, Monsoon and Winter sessions. Sources said the “special session” could see parliamentary operations being shifted to the new Parliament building.
With the government not spelling out its agenda, speculation swirled that the government may push some showpiece bills in the run-up to some key state assembly polls followed by the all-important Lok Sabha election. Sources, including in the ruling BJP, spoke of the possibility of bills on simultaneous general, state and local polls, something Modi has assiduously pushed, and reservation for women in directly elected legislatures like Lok Sabha and assemblies. Both are constitutional amendment bills and will require passage with the support of two-third members in both Houses. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the announcement of the special session just three weeks after the end of the Monsoon session was aimed at managing “the news cycle” and countering the news about the ongoing meeting of INDIA parties in Mumbai and the latest revelations on Adani. The Monsoon session of Parliament ended on August 11. “Regardless, the JPC demand (on the Adani issue) will continue to resonate inside and outside Parliament,” the Congress MP added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said on X that the special session called during “India’s most important festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is unfortunate and goes against the Hindu sentiments.”
The last time Parliament met outside its three usual sessions was – at midnight on June 30, 2017, to mark the rollout of GST. (PTI)