Parliament Monsoon Session To Begin On July 20; Women's Reservation, Delimitation Bills and More On Agenda

Monsoon Session of Parliament will commence from July 20 and conclude till August 13, informed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in a statement issued on Saturday. The Monsoon Session is deemed to be politically crucial as several important bills, such as constitutional amendments, are set to be tabled in the parliament by the government.

The Monsoon Session has been approved by President Droupadi Murmu after the government's suggestion.

Monsoon Session Dates Revealed

Posting the update on X, Kiren Rijiju said that the two Houses of the Parliament will sit between July 20 and August 13.

According to him, this session will give "the chance to have meaningful debate, discussion, and decision-making on issues of national importance."
This almost month-long session is likely to see heated debates on various laws as well as other political, economic, and security-related topics.

Major Bills Expected During the Session

There are some major bills which will be introduced by the government in the upcoming Monsoon Session. Some of the bills include:

• 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill
• Women's Reservation Implementation Bill
• Delimitation Bill
• Amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA)

In addition to these, there are also some other pending bills which would be passed in the upcoming session of the Parliament.

What Is the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill?

The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill is one of those that is being carefully watched.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Prime Minister or Chief Minister shall automatically be deemed to have vacated their position should they stay under arrest for more than 30 days in relation to serious crimes such as corruption.

Should the bill pass, there will surely be much debate both within and without Parliament.

Women's Reservation Bill Comes to Fore

The government is likely to resurrect the Women's Reservation Bill Implementation Bill, which provides for reserving 33 percent seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative bodies for women.

While almost all opposition political parties are in favor of women's reservation in principle, they are against making the women's reservation issue dependent upon delimitation, as it would impact the parliamentary representation of southern states.

Both the Women's Reservation Bill and Delimitation Bill failed to get the requisite support during the previous parliamentary session.

Does the Government Have the Numbers?

Whereas the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys a good majority to legislate through ordinary legislative acts, which require a simple majority, a bill seeking amendment to the Constitution requires a special majority comprising not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting in both Houses.

The strength of the National Democratic Alliance has improved compared to the last session.

Several political developments following the West Bengal Assembly elections have boosted the strength of the alliance. The NDA's effective strength in the Lok Sabha stands at about 330 members, though that is lower than the number required for amending the Constitution.

The position of the alliance in the Rajya Sabha has been improved following the inclusion of some MPs in the BJP. Combined with the strength of nominated and Independent Members, the NDA has surpassed the simple majority, but still falls short of numbers for amending the Constitution.

Regional Parties Could Hold the Key

Whether the bills for constitutional amendments get passed by the government might rely on the support that regional parties extend.

Regional parties like the BJD and YSR Congress Party have previously supported the Centre in legislation.

Their stance on the proposed 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, Women's Reservation Implementation Bill and Delimitation Bill in the Monsoon Session would be crucial in ensuring that these bills get the requisite special majority.

With many politically vital legislations being tabled, there will be a lot of debating and voting going on in the Monsoon Session in both Houses of Parliament.