Dec 15- Jan 5 Winter Session of Parliament, important agenda ahead

New Delhi, Nov 24: The winter session of Parliament will be held from December 15 to January 5, the Government announced here on Friday,

It will be a 14-day session with a two-day holiday for Christmas on December 25 and 26, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Anant Kumar told mediapersons here after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The Minister sought the cooperation of all parties, especially the Opposition, in smooth functioning of both the Houses of Parliament,’’ to make the session fruitful.’’ Goods and Services Tax, demonetisation, Jammu and Kashmir situation, and terrorism are some of the issues that are expected to figure prominently during the session. The Government has on its agenda legislation on the triple talaq, The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill and several other pending laws. One such Bills is one to give Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC),which was passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session of Parliament but when it was brought to the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition managed to effect an amendment. The Bill will have to be passed by the Lok Sabha either in the amended version form or have to be reintroduced. The Government had earlier come under criticism of the Opposition for delaying the winter session which usually starts in the third week of November.
The Opposition, especially the Congress, had said the session was delayed due to the Gujarat Assembly polls as the government did not want to be exposed on its ‘’failings’’ in the GST and note ban. The polling for the Gujarat Assembly, which will be held on December 9 and 14, will be over by the time the session begins. Responding to the criticism, senior Cabinet ministers had said that there had been instances during the Congress rule too of Parliament sessions having been delayed or advanced so as to ensure that they do not clash with polls. UNI