Special session of Parliament: What’s in store? Renaming India? Women’s reservation Bill?

In this episode of Deep Dive, Times Special talks about the upcoming special session of Parliament, scheduled for September 18 to September 22. Speculation is rife about why the special session has been called by the government, considering the monsoon session just ended a few months ago. While the Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi has said the session has been organised to pay tribute to the government’s Amrit Kaal, there have been many rumours on the government’s agenda – from a bill on the women’s reservation or one nation, one election to renaming the country itself. Opposition parties belonging to the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA as its called, have demanded that the Modi government spell out the agenda for the Special Session of Parliament. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding a discussion and debate on several issues including the current economic situation of the country. In her letter, she has also pointed out that the special session was called without consultation with other political parties. Through it all, the Modi government has kept a strategic silence. To explain what the special session of Parliament may be about, and what insiders have to say, we have with us Akhilesh Kumar Singh, political editor with the Times of India. Speculations abound. Some that have got the most traction include a bill on women’s reservation, while another is the one nation, one election bill. Renaming of the country too has been speculated as an agenda. On the topic of the agenda – which the government has not revealed yet – Akhilesh points out that the previous Parliament session – the Monsoon session, just ended in August. It was disrupted due to several reasons, with the Opposition, which had moved a No Confidence Motion against the Modi government, walking out on its own Motion during the address by the PM. A special Parliament session of five days would mean there would be no Question Hour, no private members bill. The entire session will be dedicated to the agenda, which will be finalised by the government. So while the Opposition has a right to ask about the agenda, the government is maintaining that it is the prerogative of the government to hold a session, at its own discretion. The likelihood of the agenda being revealed is only after the G20 summit, that is, after September 10. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Affairs minister Prahlad Joshi has tweeted the special session will be on the Amrit Kaal. This is the period of 25 years leading to 100 years of India’s independence. According to Akhilesh, the speculation on the introduction of the women’s reservation bill is suggestive as the current government has prioritised women’s developmental programmes. Women have emerged as a major vote bank, and the government’s analysis is that the maximum beneficiaries of many of its schemes have been women. So a bill on women’s reservation cannot be ruled out. Secondly, one nation, one election: according to Akhilesh, a committee has been already set up under former President Ram Nath Kovind and the first meeting of that committee has taken place. So when a committee has been formed, it may not lead to a bill being introduced on it yet, as the committee has to come up with some recommendations before a draft bill can be formulated. As far as speculations on renaming of the country is concerned, the Preamble to the Constitution says “We, the people of India”, and then further on, in Article 1.1, it says “India, that is Bharat”. So the Constitution already mentions Bharat. Government sources maintain that a policy decision in this regard has been taken, to highlight “Bharat” in official communication. What is certain is that a part of the special session will be held in the new Parliament building. The special session will start in the old building on September 18 and will be later moved to the new building on September 19 on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Audio production: Sahil Gupta