Winter Session of Parliament 2023: All-Party Meeting Called on December 2, Key Bills And Election Results In Focus

The winter session of Parliament for the year 2023 is scheduled to run from December 4 to December 22. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi has called for an all-party meeting on December 2 at 11 am in preparation for the upcoming session. Notably, this meeting has been advanced by a day, reportedly due to the counting of votes for five states on December 3, where elections are currently underway.

The outcome of the assembly elections is anticipated to significantly influence the winter session, during which the government aims to pass crucial bills. One notable agenda item is the presentation of the Ethics Committee's report on the "cash-for-query" allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. The Lok Sabha will need to adopt the report before the recommended expulsion by the committee takes effect.

Additionally, three key bills, seeking to replace the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act, are likely to be considered during the session, as the standing committee on Home has recently adopted these reports. Another important bill pending in Parliament relates to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. Introduced in the Monsoon session, the government had not pursued its passage in the special session of Parliament amid opposition protests and concerns from former chief election commissioners. The proposed bill aims to align the status of the CEC and ECs with that of the cabinet secretary, seeking to elevate their status to that of a Supreme Court judge.