MONSOON SESSION MAY RESHAPE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

Delimitation, defections and cabinet reshuffle speculation dominate Parliament’s upcoming monsoon session.

- AJIT MAINDOLA

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, commencing on July 20, promises to be significant in many respects.

The session will run until August 13. The atmosphere both inside and outside Parliament will appear completely transformed during this session, with many MPs who were once vocal critics of the BJP now expected to be seen hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The parliamentary landscape has shifted dramatically within just two years of the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha. For the first time in parliamentary history, the ruling party and its alliance are poised to reach a strength nearing a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. The NDA has already nearly secured a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha, and the BJP appears to be successfully working towards achieving similar majority in the Lok Sabha.

A two-thirds majority in both Houses would enable the government to easily pass bills requiring constitutional amendments. Prime Minister Modi aims to pass the delimitation amendment bill linked to the legislation providing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Passage of this bill would allow the government to undertake the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies based on the 2011 Census data.

The 2029 general elections would then be held under the new delimitation framework, featuring an expanded Lok Sabha of 850 seats. Within this arrangement, 33% of the seats in every state would be reserved for women and allocated through a draw of lots.