During the upcoming special session of Parliament scheduled to commence on September 18, the proceedings will open with a ‘Samvidhan Sabha’ discussion. The government has chosen to initiate the special session with a conversation about Parliament’s 75-year journey, marking the first assembly held on December 9, 1946.
Furthermore, the government’s legislative agenda for this session includes four bills, one of which is the ‘Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill,’ introduced in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session on August 10. The other bills encompass ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023,’ both of which were previously approved by the Rajya Sabha on August 3, 2023. The ‘Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ amends the Advocates Act, 1961, while the ‘Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’ repeals the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. Additionally, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023,’ which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on August 10, 2023, is part of the Lok Sabha’s business agenda. This bill repeals the Indian Post Office Act, 1898.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Bill concerning the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners and other election commissioners in the last session. This legislation also addresses the procedure for conducting Election Commission business. It proposes that Election Commissioners be appointed by the President based on a panel’s recommendation, which includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, with the Prime Minister presiding over the panel. If enacted, this bill would overturn the Supreme Court’s March 2023 ruling, which determined that Election Commissioners’ appointments should be made by the President upon the advice of a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.
Additionally, the government has arranged a meeting of floor leaders from all political parties on September 17, a day before the commencement of the five-day session.
