Today in Politics: Parliament to resume functioning after Govt, Opp end deadlock

Expressing confidence that both the Houses will function smoothly from Tuesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Lok Sabha will take up a debate on the Constitution on December 13-14 while the Rajya Sabha will hold a discussion on it on December 16-17. Rijiju said the Opposition parties had demanded discussions on the issue to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly.

Ahead of Tuesday’s sitting, leaders of the INDIA bloc are expected to meet at Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s office in Parliament.

In context: The Opposition leaders indicated that they would cooperate with the government for smooth functioning of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, which have been stalled over various issues – including Adani’s indictment by the US prosecutors in an alleged bribery case, recent Sambhal violence and Manipur unrest – since the winter session got underway on November 25, as reported by Liz Mathew.

The first week of the session has been washed out in the wake of the Congress’s insistence on a thorough discussion on the Adani row and the government’s reluctance to accept it. The Congress leadership however came under pressure amid unease among a section of the party MPs as well as some other Opposition parties over the continued stonewalling of the two Houses.

On Tuesday, two Bills are also expected to be tabled in the Lok Sabha – The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill and The Railways (Amendment) Bill.

EC invites Cong delegation

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday had asserted that all poll procedures it followed in Maharashtra were transparent and assured that it would review all legitimate concerns flagged by the Congress, which alleged serious inconsistencies. In its interim response to the party, the poll authority invited a Congress delegation on Tuesday to discuss concerns expressed by it.

The Congress had on Friday raised with the EC “serious and grave inconsistencies” which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls and sought an in-person hearing to present relevant evidence.

Meanwhile, the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) on Monday announced a state-wide agitation against electronic voting machines (EVMs). In the first phase of the agitation, the VBA will on Tuesday start a signature campaign against the use of EVMs, and the stir will continue till December 16, said the party.

PM Modi in Chandigarh

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Chandigarh to review the Union Territory’s implementation of the three new criminal laws. Modi will be accompanied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Official sources said Modi would review the progress of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which came into effect on July 1, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

The Union Territory of Chandigarh has become fully compliant, with 100% implementation of the laws.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu is in Odisha for a five-day visit, during which she will offer prayers at the Jagannath temple in Puri besides attending other programmes. On Tuesday, the President will unveil a statue of Santali writer and educator Pandit Raghunath Murmu and visit the Adim Owar Jarpa Jaher in Bhubaneswar, an official statement said.

– With PTI inputs