The Winter Session of Parliament is set to commence on November 25 and will continue until December 20, as announced by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday. In a post on X, Rijiju stated, “President, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Winter Session, 2024 from 25th November to 20th December, 2024 (subject to exigencies of parliamentary business).”
He also mentioned that on November 26, Constitution Day, the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution will be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.
During this session, the government aims to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is currently under review by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Additionally, there is a possibility of introducing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized his government’s commitment to implementing ‘One Nation, One Election,’ aiming for simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. He stated, “We are now working towards ‘One Nation, One Election,’ which will strengthen India’s democracy, give optimum outcome of India’s resources and the country will gain new momentum in achieving the dream of a developed India.”
However, the Congress party has expressed opposition to this concept. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge dismissed the idea as ‘impossible,’ stating, “What PM Modi has said, he will not do it, because when it comes in the parliament, he has to take everybody into confidence, then only this will happen. This is impossible, ‘One Nation One Election’ is impossible.”
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 is actively engaging with various stakeholders across different states to address concerns and seek a consensus on the bill.
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The outcomes of the Assembly elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra, scheduled to be announced on November 23, are also anticipated to be discussed in both houses during the session.