The government is engaging with the Opposition parties to secure numbers needed to pass the proposed delimitation bill and revised women's reservation law. The bills, which were defeated in the last session, may see a renewed push if the ruling dispensation gets requisite support during the upcoming Monsoon session.
The parliament session is set to begin on July 21 and will continue till August 21. Since the last session, political realignments have strengthened the BJP-led NDA's position, although it still needs support from parties outside the alliance for any constitutional amendment.
The session is expected to be marked by both legislative battles and political confrontation. While the government is considering whether to bring the two constitutional bills, the Opposition is preparing to corner it over the NEET-UG paper leak, its demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
The government's calculations have changed since April, when its proposal linking delimitation with the implementation of women's reservation failed to get the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Since then, changes within several opposition parties and the political developments following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly election have altered the parliamentary arithmetic. Now, the BJP has on its side AAP MPs who merged themselves with the saffron party, six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs merging with Shiv Sena, an NDA ally, and TMC’s 20 MPs forming a separate group.
NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule hinted that her party may support the delimitation bill if the increase in Lok Sabha seats in every state is uniform 50 percentage instead of redistributing seats solely on the basis of population. This aspect should form part of the bill.
Sule said her party had not taken a final decision but suggested that such a formula could address concerns raised by southern states and discuss the issue within the India alliance.
The BJP is looking for support from the DMK and the SP, apart from BJD and YSR Congress Party.
Alongside the legislative agenda, the Opposition is preparing to raise several issues during the session. The Congress is expected to renew its demand for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak. The party is also likely to pursue its privilege notice against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over his remarks on Operation Sindoor, saying no soldier had died.
The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is also expected to figure prominently. The Opposition, led by the Samajwadi Party, has accused the government of failing to ensure accountability after a Special Investigation Team reported evidence of theft during the counting of donations.
The Centre has called an all-party meeting on July 19 to discuss the legislative agenda. The Congress will hold its own strategy meeting before the session to finalise its floor plan.
Separately, a Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, which would require the automatic removal of a Prime Minister, Chief Minister or minister held in custody for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, is due to adopt its report on July 17, just before the session begins.
Whether the government actually brings the women's reservation and delimitation bills to a vote this session, rather than holding them back again for want of numbers, remains the biggest question as the Monsoon Session approaches.
