Winter Session of Parliament from Nov 18-Dec 13

The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on November 18, with the NDA government expected to push for legislation to usher in economic reforms with more gusto, particularly after the electoral success projected in Maharashtra and Haryana.

The Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has conveyed to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha that the government that the Winter Session of Parliament would be held from November 18 to December 13.

The session will be a week short, after long winter sessions witnessed over the past two when it stretched into January.

Top on government agenda would be to replace two ordinances promulgated during the inter-session period to reduce corporate taxes as a measure to kick-start the slowing economy and another on to ban e-cigarettes.

The session of Parliament will commence days after the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on the contentious Ram Janmabhoomi issue, and a favourable decision could add wind to the sails of the government.

Home Minister Amit Shah has also asserted that the government would bring the Citizenship Amendment bill in Parliament. The bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugee Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The government's ambitious plans to replace 44 labour laws with four Codes got off to a start during the Monsoon Session with both Houses of Parliament approving the Code on Wages Bill.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code was also introduced in the Lok Sabha and was referred to a Standing Committee earlier this month.

The Opposition will try to corner the government on its handling of the Jammu and Kashmir issue after the reading down of Article 370 that granted special status to the state, and the detention of political leaders for more than three months.

It is also expected to raise the issue of slowing down of economic growth, allegations of unleashing central investigative agencies against Opposition leaders and the implementation of the national registry of citizens in Assam.

This would also be the first session since the passing away of BJP stalwarts Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley who used to dominate proceedings in Parliament. While Sushma had opted out of the Lok Sabha elections, Jaitley, who was a member of the Rajya Sabha, too had stayed away due to ill-health.

Sushma passed away on August 6 and Jaitley breathed his last on August 24.