Parliament Leaders Prep for Winter Session; Qatar Death Penalty and J&K Bills in Focus

In a crucial prelude to the second day of the winter session, leaders of the INDIA bloc gathered for a meeting at the office of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, called the meeting, which saw the participation of various political figures, including AAP MP Raghav Chadha, whose suspension in the Rajya Sabha was recently revoked, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, TMC MP Derek O’Brien, LoP in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Jairam Ramesh.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari has raised the issue of the death penalty for eight former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar. Tewari gave an Adjournment Motion Notice in the Lok Sabha, demanding a discussion on the matter. The individuals, including Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, and others, were sentenced by a Qatari court on October 26, 2023. Tewari expressed frustration, stating that he has been raising the matter since August 2022 with no response from the government.

In legislative developments, the Central government is poised to present the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passage. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to move both bills, which aim to amend existing legislation related to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Winter Session’s first day witnessed the passage of two bills in Parliament, and the Rajya Sabha decided to lift the suspension of AAP MP Raghav Chadha. Additionally, Standing committee reports on key bills, including ‘The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023’, ‘The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023’, and ‘The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023,’ were tabled. These reports, submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on November 10, are on the government’s agenda for passage in the ongoing session.

In a significant move on Monday, the Rajya Sabha passed a bill to repeal the Indian Post Office Act, 1898, prompting opposition members to question the government’s intentions and express concerns about creating a “surveillance state.” The bill, focusing on reforming postal services, was passed by voice vote after the Minister for Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, addressed the concerns.

Moreover, the Lok Sabha approved the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aligning with the government’s initiative to repeal outdated laws. The bill seeks to amend the Advocates Act, 1961, incorporating provisions from the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, thus streamlining the statute book.

As the Winter Session progresses, discussions on crucial legislative matters and the Qatar death penalty case remain at the forefront of parliamentary deliberations, promising a session marked by substantive debates and legislative action.