‘For a very important bill’: Parliament to reconvene on April 16; what’s on cards | India News
NEW DELHI: The budget session of Parliament will be reconvened from April 16 to pass the bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 seats.The government is looking to introduce at least two bills in the current session of Parliament – including constitutional amendments – to reserve one-third seats for women in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Assembly elections.The move promises to change the country’s political landscape and put an authoritative stamp on Prime Minister Modi’s much-talked-about agenda of women’s empowerment as he campaigns for four state assemblies. If the government has its way, the number of Lok Sabha seats will increase by 50% to 816 from the current 543, with 273-seats set aside for women, so that the existing political dynamics and current MPs, overwhelmingly male, are not loosened by a reshuffle mandate. The majority mark, accordingly, will move to 409.According to news agency PTI, the two houses will reconvene for two or three days to pass the proposed legislation.Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the House would meet again soon to consider a key law.“We have some bills and important issues, and we have shared it with the opposition. We are going to bring a very important bill in the next two-three weeks,” Rijiju said.This is the first time in five decades that the Lok Sabha will increase its strength. The powers of the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council in the states will not be affected. At least two bills will be introduced, one on boundaries and another to amend the constitution, requiring two-thirds support in both houses.Although the ruling NDA does not have the power to pass the bill on its own, the government seems keen to push for its passage during the budget session that ends on April 4. Failing that, it is open to the idea of convening an abbreviated session specifically on the women’s quota.Home Minister Amit Shah is leading efforts to get support for the two bills and held two meetings on Monday, one with regional parties in the non-NDA bloc including opposition parties and one not aligned with the formation (NDA or India Bloc) and another with allies of the BJP.
