The winter session of Parliament is set to commence on Monday, November 25. With the formation of a new government after this year's general elections, there is a push to pass some pending bills alongside introducing new ones. The agenda for the winter session, which has been revealed, includes a total of 16 bills comprising both new and existing ones.
The most talked-about bills on this list are the Waqf Amendment Bill and the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill 2024. These bills were introduced during the monsoon session in the Lok Sabha amidst protests and commotion from opposition parties. Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill and the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Upon introduction in Parliament, these bills were sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) without discussion. The JPC is led by senior BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. It was decided that the JPC would present its report on the last day of the first week of the next session. Accordingly, the JPC is expected to present its report on November 29.
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Jagdambika Pal, leader of the JPC, has stated that the report is ready. However, opposition MPs are demanding an extension of the JPC's term. Along with the Waqf Amendment Bill, the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill was also sent to the JPC. These bills will be brought back for discussion and passage in Parliament once the JPC report is presented.
Bills in the Agenda
The agenda for the Parliament's winter session includes 16 bills, five of which are new. The remaining 11 bills are pending in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. Among these are pertinent pending bills and new ones such as the one related to a Cooperative University. Besides the Waqf Bill and the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill, a bill for establishing a National Cooperative University is among the five new legislative proposals to be discussed and passed.
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During the winter session, there will also be discussions on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants. The Punjab Judiciary (Amendment) Bill, Merchant Shipping Bill, and Coastal Shipping Bill will be tabled in the upcoming session. Other pending bills include the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, a bill related to adjusting the representation of Scheduled Tribes in the Goa Assembly, the Railway (Amendment) Bill, and the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill.
Notably, Kiren Rijiju had hinted at introducing a bill related to 'One Nation, One Election' during this session. Although the Ram Nath Kovind Committee has already submitted its report to the government and it has received cabinet approval, there is no mention of this bill in the list of 16 bills. It's worth noting that the Parliament's winter session is starting on November 25 and is scheduled to run until December 20.
