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Indeed, there was no reference to the Women8217;s Reservation Bill when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, three ministers of state and 45 government officials met to discuss the government business for the session.

AZAD8217;s concern was elsewhere. The Monsoon Session promises to be a very busy one. The BJP, having wasted the Budget Session in a boycott that allowed the government to get away without being asked inconvenient questions, will probably want to be more 8216;8216;active8217;8217; this time.

On the other hand, the Left is likely to play difficult too, especially in terms of measures relating to economic reform, and, of course, the recent agreements with America. What this double whammy will mean for the normal business of the House is anybody8217;s guess.

The government8217;s concern is about the limited time available. The session is likely to conclude on August 26, providing for 23 sittings in the month-long period.

The government business list, a copy of which is available with The Sunday Express, shows the number of new bills for this session is 42, the same as that in the previus session 8212; but almost all of them have been given the lower priority of 8216;8216;B8217;8217; or 8216;8216;C8217;8217;. See box. In the light of past experience, and the large backlog of pending bills, only three bills have been given 8216;8216;A8217;8217; priority.

ON top of the agenda is the Citizenship Amendment Bill, being introduced to replace the ordinance to extend dual citizenship to overseas Indians, over and above the 16 countries that were provided for in the original act.

The facility will now be available to all NRIs who migrated from India to nations other than Bangladesh and Pakistan after January 26, 1950, as long as the country they reside in allows for dual citizenship. The act also simplifies

procedures, including provision for issue of an all-purpose card.

Equal importance is being given to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Bill. It will allow the Congress government in the state to fulfill its poll promise of reviving the upper house. The council was abolished by the N.T. Rama Rao government.

With the Congress is a commanding position in the assembly, it can pack the new legislative council and further the cause Indian politicians know best 8212; dispensing patronage. The bill had been pending in the Lok Sabha, awaiting the report of the Standing Committee.

Another bill found meritorious of A at the July 18 meeting is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill. It too was languishing in the Lok Sabha, awaiting the Standing Committee report.

The proposed law, which became politically contentious because of a delay by the committee chairman in finalising the report, provides for at least 100 days of guaranteed employment in each financial year to every poor rural household.

OTHER than discussion and voting on the demand for grants for Centre-ruled Bihar, high priority has also been given to a resolution on discussion and voting on supplementary demands for grants for Railways for 2005-06.

The proposed laws for women8217;s uplift have been graded B or C for this session. A bill on Protection of Women from Domestic Violence and amendments to the Commission of Sati Prevention Act and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act are on the cards.

It should be a busy session of Parliament. That8217;s if parliamentarians decide to do some work.

The Big Ten

The government8217;s VIP bills for the Monsoon Session

Ministry of Home Affairs
1 The Citizenship Amendment Bill: To extend the facility of dual citizenship to overseas Indians beyond the 16 countries taken care of in the original act. It will be available to NRIs who migrated after January 26, 1950, so long as their home countries allow for dual citizenship.
It will fulfill a longstanding demand of the indian diaspora.

2 The Criminal Law Amendment Bill: To amend provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Penal Code of 1973 and Indian Evidence Act of 1972 to prevent a witness from turning hostile. It will provide for pre-trial negotiations between defendant and prosecution, during which the accused could agree to plead guilty in exchange for concessions.

It will also make it easier for scientific experts to give evidence in cases relating to fake currency notes and so on.

Ministry of Law and Justice
3 The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Bill: To provide for the creation of a legislative council in Andhra Pradesh. The council will have the same number of seats as it had when it was abolished by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Abolition Act, 1985.

Given the Congress8217; majority in the assembly, the council will be a ruling party preserve.

4 The High Court and Supreme Court Judges Salaries and Conditions of Service Amendment Bill: To revise the pension, family pension and house rent allowance of the judges of the high courts Court and the Supreme Court.

Department of Company Affairs
5 The Chartered Accountants Amendment Bill
6 The Cost and Works Accoutants Amendment Bill
7 The Company Secretaries Amendment Bill: All three are being amended to bring uniformity in the acts of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India and Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
And to implement the Naresh Chandra committee8217;s recommendations on disciplinary procedure and setting up of a Quality Review Board.

Ministry of Labour
8 The Payment of Wages Amendment Bill as passed by the Rajya Sabha: To broaden the coverage of the Payment of Wages Act of 1936 by enhancing the wage ceiling to Rs 6,500 per month from
Rs 1,600 per month and to strengthen penal provisions.
In essence, this recognises the value of the rupee has changed in seven decades.

Ministry of Human Resource Development
9 The Manipur University Bill: Introduced in the Rajya Sabha and pending with the Standing Committee, this will seek to establish and incorporate a teaching and affiliating university in Manipur.

Ministry of Rural Development
10 The National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill: To improve the lives of the rural poor by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed employment every year to each poor household adult members of which volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

This bill is the brainchild of Sonia Gandhi8217;s National Advisory Council. It has fiscal conservatives running scared.