New Delhi: With just nine days remaining in the ongoing Parliament Monsoon Session, all eyes are on the central government and its strategy to pass the crucial Delimitation and Women Reservation Bills. The session, which commenced on July 20 and will conclude on August 13, has already witnessed intense political heat over student protests and paper leak controversies.
Despite the continuous opposition uproar in the initial days, the government successfully cleared the Anti Paper Leak and Vande Mataram bills. However, the real test lies ahead as the ruling dispensation prepares to navigate significant constitutional amendments. Passing the Women Reservation and Delimitation bills requires a two thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament, making the parliamentary arithmetic extremely critical.
In the Lok Sabha, the current effective strength stands at 540, as three out of the total 543 seats remain vacant. To successfully pass a constitutional amendment, the government needs the backing of at least 360 lawmakers. At present, the ruling coalition and its supporting allies command the strength of 324 members. This tally includes 293 members from the NDA, 20 from the newly formed NCPI which separated from the TMC, six from the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena, and five from the YSRCP along with independent members. The government is currently short of 36 votes to reach the decisive 360 mark.
To bridge this numerical gap, the ruling party is turning its focus toward regional and neutral political outfits. Political circles are buzzing with speculation that the government is closely evaluating the stance of the DMK and other regional parties. Given the aggressive posture of the opposition on recent domestic issues, the administration will likely table these historic bills only when it is completely assured of the numbers.
According to highly placed government sources, the foundational work for the Delimitation bill is complete. The sources indicate that the required numerical support has been mostly secured, but a final decision on the exact timing of its introduction rests with the top leadership.
A fresh confrontation between the treasury benches and the opposition is also expected over other significant legislations, including the FCRA bill. The final days of the monsoon session are poised to be politically decisive. It remains to be seen whether the government will successfully manage the complex arithmetic to pass these landmark legislations or if they will be pushed to the waiting list once again.