By IANS,
New Delhi : With 71 bills in the pipeline and a host of pressing issues engaging the nation’s attention, all eyes will be on the month-long monsoon session of parliament that begins Monday.
The government has said it plans to introduce 34 key bills and take up 37 for passing, hoping the legislative business of parliament will not be disrupted like previous sessions on one flimsy pretext or another.
Though the Lokpal bill is slated for introduction Wednesday, there is little chance of its being passed by the Aug 15 deadline set by Gandhian Anna Hazare. This is because it would have to be referrred to a select committee to enable political parties across the spectrum state their views on the measure. On its part, the government has said it hopes this process would be completed in August itself so that the bill is passed before the parliament session ends September 8.
However, Hazare’s decision to go on another fast from Aug 16 may impact parliament’s functioning.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.K. Bansal has called upon all the parties to ensure a smooth session, but Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha S.S. Ahluwalia has given enough signals of the storm ahead.
He said the party would seek a discussion on price rise and corruption under clauses which entail voting.
Jailed former communication minister A. Raja’s attempt in a trial court to shift the blame in the spectrum allocation case to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram can also lead to a sticky situation.
With both the Congress and the BJP tained by major corruption charges, the exit of Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will give the Congress enough fodder to counter the opposition offensive on corruption.
Political analyst Baalji Sharma feels that the monsoon session will test the strength and unity of the UPA, which is trying to recover from the corruption scandals.
“The focus will be particularly on Manmohan Singh, who arrives in the house with a new, reshuffled team of ministers,” Sharma told IANS.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj has said the BJP will raise the issue of internal security, especially the Mumbai blasts and the Maoist violence.
The introduction of two other key bills — on land acquisition and food security — is still uncertain as the government is in the process of eliciting public response on their drafts.
The passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha is also uncertain as a consensus has not been reached on the landmark legislation, which was passed in March 2010 by the Rajya Sabha
The anti-graft Lokpal bill and women’s reservation bill are among the significant legislations on the agenda of the month-long monsoon session of parliament that begins Monday.
Bills for introduction:
1. The Lokpal Bill, 2011
2. The National Food Security Bill, 2011
3. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2011
4. The Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2011
5. The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill, 2011
6. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2011
7. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2011
8. The Agriculture Bio-Security Bill, 2011
9. The Nuclear Regulatory Authority Bill, 2011
10. The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2011
11. The Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2011
12. The Electronic Service Delivery Bill, 2011
13. The Warehousing Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2011
14. The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2011
15. The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2011
16. The Indian Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2011
17. The National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill, 2011
18. The Customs Law (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2011
19. The Boarder Security Force (Amendment) Bill, 2011
20. The National Academic Depository (Amendment) Bill, 2011.
21. The National Council for Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011
22. The Universities for Innovation Bill, 2011
23. The Press and Registration of Books and Publications Bill, 2010
24. The Inter State Migrant Workmen [Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service] (Amendment) Bill, 2011
25. The Administrator’s General (Amendment) Bill, 2011
26. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2011
27. The Emigration Management Bill, 2011
28. The Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2011
29. The Passengers Security Bill, 2011
30. The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development Bill, 2011
31. The National Sports Development Bill, 2011
32. Bill relating to Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement
Bills for introduction, consideration and passing
1. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2011
2. The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kancheepuram Bill, 2011
Bills for consideration and passing
1. The Seeds Bill, 2004
2. The Constitution (One Hundred and Eleventh Amendment) Bill, 2009
3. The Pesticides Management Bill, 2008
4. The Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2010
5. The Chartered Accountants (Amendment) Bill, 2010
6. The Cost and Works Accountants (Amendment) Bill, 2010
7. The National Commission for Heritage Sites Bill, 2009
8. The State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks Laws) Amendment Bill, 2009
9. The Coinage Bill, 2011, as passed by Lok Sabha
10. The Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Pudducherry (Amendment) Bill, 2010
11. The Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2009
12. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Bill, 2010
13. The New Delhi Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill, 2010
14. The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2011 (as returned by Rajya Sabha with amendments)
15. The Constitution (One Hundred Thirteenth Amendment) Bill, 2011 (as returned by Rajya Sabha with amendments)
16. The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Bill, 2010
17. The Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010 (as passed by Lok Sabha)
18. The Institute of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2011 (as passed by Lok Sabha)
19. The Architects (Amendment) Bill, 2010
20. The National Institute of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2010
21. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010
22. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010
23. The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010
24. The Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Amendment Bill, 2010
25. The Constitution (One Hundred and Fourteenth Amendment) Bill, 2010
26. The Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2010 (as passed by Rajya Sabha)
27. The Commercial Division of High Courts Bill, 2009. (as passed by Lok Sabha)
28. The Constitution (One Hundred and Tenth Amendment) Bill, 2009.
29. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twelfth Amendment) Bill, 2009
30. The Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right to User in Land) Amendment Bill, 2010
31. The Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Amendment Bill, 2008
32. The Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research Bill, 2010
33. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2010
34. The Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill, 2010
35. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2007
Financial Business
1. Discussion and Voting on First Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for the year 2011-2012
2. Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2011-12