‘Mischievous and must be opposed’: Chidambaram slams Centre’s move to convene Parliament at poll time | India News
New Delhi: Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram on Sunday condemned the Centre’s decision to convene Parliament days before assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.In a social media post, Chidambaram called the Centre’s proposal “mischievous” and alleged that it was designed to exclude MPs from discussions and votes on critical constitutional amendment bills.“The proposal to convene Parliament on April 16-18 is mischievous and should be opposed. Polling is scheduled for April 23 (and April 29 WB) in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal,” the senior leader said.
“39 MPs from TN and 28 MPs from WB are on the opposition benches in the Lok Sabha. They will be fully engaged in their constituencies from April 16-18. If critical constitutional amendment bills are brought up for discussion and voting on that date, how will these 67 MPs participate and vote in the Lok Sabha? I suspect the design is to exclude these MPs,” he added.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 intends to introduce at least two bills including constitutional amendments in the current session of Parliament 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.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.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.
