The Winter Session of Parliament will be from November 26 to December 23, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu announced the dates on Monday. Besides, separate special sittings of both the Houses of Parliament will be held on the first two days of Winter Session to discuss ‘Commitment to the Constitution’ as a part of 125th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and November 26 will be observed as ‘Constitution Day’ commemorating the acceptance of Draft Constitution on November 26, 1949. Question Hour and Zero Hour will be dispensed on these two days.
With the Opposition emboldened by Bihar verdict and threatening to disrupt the upcoming session, Naidu said that the verdict has to be seen as a clear statement of people’s aspirations for development and not as a mandate to obstruct Parliament. Sources said the Government floor managers will reach out to the Opposition parties to get the important legistations like the Goods and Service Tax Bill and Real Estate Regulators Bill passed in the coming session.
Naidu urged the Opposition parties to cooperate in passing of the important pending Bills. “I was disturbed by media reports after Sunday’s Bihar verdict that Opposition parties in Parliament will now be more emboldened to unite and stall the Government’s Parliamentary agenda for the coming Winter Session. I sincerely hope that it is not the view of the concerned parties. All concerned need to understand the Bihar verdict in right perspective. People of Bihar like in other States too want development”, Naidu said. He added that the result shall rather propel all parties into constructive cooperation in the larger interest of Bihar and other States.
Meanwhile, Union Finance & Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Bihar result will in no way impact economic growth of the country and the union Government will continue to carry out reforms. “I don’t see it as a setback to the economy... Structural reforms will continue. They should continue at a rapid pace,” said Jaitley and expressed hope that JD(U) would support the Constitutional Amendment Bill to roll out the long-pending GST as the new tax structure would also benefit Bihar.
“Bihar and JD(U) had supported this (GST) in the lower House... If Nitish Kumar, as a responsible leader, has been elected on the plank of development, then certainly he wants more revenue for Bihar....,” Jaitley said.
“I am for a GST with a proper architecture, not for a GST with a defective architecture. So if there is any suggestion in the direction of strengthening GST and its architecture, I am certainly open to that,” he added.
About reforms, Jaitley added that Government would continue them by taking executive actions.