New Delhi – In a dignified ceremony preceding the special parliamentary session, Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankar, unfurled the national flag at the newly erected Parliament edifice. This solemn occasion marked a day of reflection on Parliament’s illustrious 75-year journey and other critical parliamentary matters.
Distinguished luminaries in attendance included Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, and Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghawal and V. Muraleedharan. Eminent political figures from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were also present, forging a unified tribute to the nation’s legislative institution.
Notably, the absence of Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, drew attention. Kharge, currently engaged in a two-day session of the newly constituted Congress Working Committee in Hyderabad, declined attendance at the flag-hoisting ceremony due to a delayed invitation, expressing his discontent in a letter addressed to Rajya Sabha Secretary General Pramod Chandra Mody.
In his missive, Kharge stated, “Dear P C Mody ji, I am writing this letter with a sense of disappointment that I have received your invite for flag hoisting function tomorrow at New Parliament building only on September 15 quite late in the evening. Since the programmes had been fixed much in advance. I am presently in Hyderabad to hold the meetings. As I will return to Delhi late night on September 17, it will not be feasible for me to attend the function scheduled for tomorrow morning.”
In anticipation of the forthcoming five-day special parliamentary session, a gathering of floor leaders from diverse political parties is scheduled at 4:30 PM today. Minister Pralhad Joshi, in a prior social media announcement, highlighted the initiation of the floor leaders meeting. The agenda for the session’s inaugural day underscores the commemoration of Parliament’s storied 75-year journey and the deliberation and endorsement of legislation pertaining to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners.
The Lok Sabha’s docket encompasses several significant items, including ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023,’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023,’ both of which had previously secured approval in the Rajya Sabha on August 3, 2023. Additionally, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023’ is listed among the items of business in the Lok Sabha.
This clarifies the government’s agenda for the forthcoming special parliamentary session, following days of speculation. The parliamentary bulletin outlines a meticulous plan for addressing crucial legislative matters and reaffirming the parliamentary legacy.
