Centre schedules meeting for Winter Parliament Session, beginning on 4 December

Ahead of the Winter session of Parliament, the government has scheduled a meeting with floor leaders of political parties in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Saturday.
The Winter session, commencing on December 4 and comprising 15 sittings until December 22, is anticipated to address crucial draft legislations, including three bills aiming to replace colonial-era criminal laws.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi will preside over the meeting on Saturday, expected to be attended by senior leaders such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Currently, 37 Bills await consideration in Parliament, with 12 slated for consideration and passing, and seven Bills earmarked for introduction, consideration, and passing. Additionally, the government plans to present the initial batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2023-24.

The Ethics Committee’s report on “cash-for-query” allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra will be tabled in Lok Sabha during the session. The House must adopt the report before the recommended expulsion by the panel takes effect.

Furthermore, three pivotal bills seeking to replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Evidence Act are likely to undergo consideration during the session. The standing committee on Home has recently endorsed these three reports. Another significant bill awaiting attention pertains to the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners.

Introduced in the Monsoon session, the government did not push for its passage in the special session of Parliament amid opposition protests and objections from former chief election commissioners. The proposed change aims to align the status of the CEC and ECs with that of the cabinet secretary, as they currently hold the status of a Supreme Court judge.