Addressing floor leaders of parties in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, ahead of the Monsoon Session 2018 of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Government gives huge importance to the issues raised by all Political Parties and urged all Political Parties to collectively strive to create a constructive atmosphere in Monsoon Session to achieve National Good. Modi expressed confidence that all political parties would cooperate on smooth running of the Parliament and undertake constructive discussion on issues of national importance.
A host of issues were brought up by the leaders of parties during the meeting. There was a consensus across party lines on ensuring smooth functioning of the Parliament without disruptions and deadlocks to be resolved through constructive discussions in both the Houses.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Ananthkumar, later briefing media persons said that the Government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their co-operation for the smooth functioning of the House. “The people of India want the Parliament to function. Government calls for cooperation from all parties in country's interest”, he said. The Minister informed that all parties were in favour of a productive Monsoon session. The Government is always ready to discuss on the floor of the House, any issue as permitted under Rules of Procedure. The Government will leave no stone unturned to facilitate smooth functioning of the Parliament during the ensuing Monsoon Session, he added.
Ananthkumar further informed that the Monsoon Session, 2018 of Parliament is scheduled to be held from Wednesday, 18th July, 2018, and subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session may conclude on Friday, 10th August, 2018. The Minister said that the Session will provide a total of 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days and 48* items have been identified for being taken up during the Monsoon Session, 2018. (*Includes 46 Bills and 02 financial item)
Six Bills replacing ordinances namely (i) The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018; (ii) The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (iii) The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (iv) The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; (v) The National Sports University Ordinance, 2018; and (iv) The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 are required to be passed during the ensuing Monsoon Session.
Further, some important pending legislations in the Houses required to be considered and passed during the Session are (i) The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018; (ii) The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2018; (iii) The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016; (iv) The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty–Third Amendment) Bill, 2017; (v) The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017; (vi) The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017; (vii) The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017; and (viii) The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013.
Some important new bills likely to be introduced, considered and passed during this session apart from the 6 Bills replacing Ordinances are (i) The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2018; (ii) The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018; (iii) The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018; (iv) The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2018; (v) The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018; (vi) The Dam Safety Bill, 2018; and (vii) Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018.
The all-Party meeting was attended by Union Minister for Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Statistics & Programme Implementation, Vijay Goel, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, River development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Arjun Ram Meghwal, along with other Ministers.
