Parliament Monsoon Session to begin today: Another Centre vs Oppn battle?

New Delhi: With the Monsoon Session of the Parliament kickstarting today, the Centre and Opposition would be looking forward to debates over a long pending list of bills and a slew of relevant issues.

The monsoon session, which concludes on August 10, will have 18 sittings amid much-expected drama in both the houses - Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

An all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday night for smoothing functioning of the Monsoon Session received a "positive" outcome, according to Union Minister Ananth Kumar.

However, the Opposition parties, led by Congress, will hopefully eye to target the in-power Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over various amendments.

The government has listed a substantive legislative business for the session. This includes 48 items, including 46 Bills and two financial matters. On priority are The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill or the anti-instant triple talaq bill and The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill that gives Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The National Medical Commission Bill, The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, The Consumer Protection Bill, The Dam Safety Bill and Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill are also on Centre's agenda.

Besides, there are six bills replacing ordinances promulgated in the inter-session period are also high on government's agenda. These include The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, The National Sports University Ordinance and The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance.

In the meeting on Tuesday night, the opposition brought up issues that it wants to highlight in the session and the government assured that it is willing to discuss all of them.

Prime Minister Modi said the government gives huge importance to the issues raised by all political parties. He also urged the political parties to collectively strive for a constructive atmosphere in the monsoon session for national good.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also chaired two separate all-party meeting to ensure smooth functioning of both the Houses. BJP Parliamentary Party's executive also met for a strategy meet in the Library Building of Parliament.

On a related note, the List of Business or the agendas to be taken up in the upcoming monsoon session are as follows:

I Bills for Introduction, Consideration and Passing

1. The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018;

2. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill, 2018;

3. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018

4. The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2018

5. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2018

6. The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018

7. Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

8. Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

9. Union Territory Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

10. Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States Amendment) Bill, 2018

11. The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018

12. The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018

13. The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment)Bill, 2018

14. The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018

15. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018

16. The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

17. The Dam Safety Bill, 2018

18. Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018

II Bills for Consideration and Passing

Bills pending in Lok Sabha

1. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017

2. The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2017

3. The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2017

4. The Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2017

5. The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017

6. The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2017

7. The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018

8. The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2018

9. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018

10. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016

11. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016

12. The Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016

13. The National Sports University Bill, 2017

14. The Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017

15. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017.

Bills pending in Rajya Sabha

1. The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015

2. The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016

3. The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017

4. The State Bank (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017.

5. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017

6. The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017

7. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017

8. The Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill, 2018

9. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017

10. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013

III Financial Business

1. Supplementary Demands for Grants (including Railways) for 2018-19

2. Demands for Excess Grants for 2015-16

IV Bills for Withdrawal

Lok Sabha

1. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Rajya Sabha

1. The Armed Forces Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2012

2. The Nalanda University (Amendment) Bill, 2013