By NSB.News
The Congress party has announced that it will oppose the proposed Delimitation Bill during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party held in New Delhi on Thursday.
Delimitation Bill : The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on Monday. Several important bills, including possible constitutional amendment bills, are expected to be introduced during the session. With the government preparing its legislative strategy, the Congress has also begun finalising its plan to challenge the proposed legislation.
The meeting was chaired by Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several senior party leaders attended the meeting.
Congress to Oppose Delimitation Bill in Parliament
Delimitation Bill : After the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said the party had received reports that the government could introduce a Delimitation Bill.
“We have learnt that a Delimitation Bill may be brought. The Congress party will oppose it. We will stand united with other like-minded parties,” Ramesh said.
Delimitation Bill : He added that Sonia Gandhi chaired the meeting to discuss the party’s parliamentary strategy.
Ramesh said the opposition had not received any official confirmation regarding the bills that the government plans to introduce during the session. He said more clarity was expected at the all-party meeting scheduled for Sunday.
However, he alleged that such meetings often remain a mere formality for the government.
Senior Congress Leaders Attend Meeting
Apart from Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, the meeting was attended by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Shashi Tharoor, P. Chidambaram, Kumari Selja and Manish Tewari, along with other Congress MPs.
The party discussed its broader strategy for the Monsoon Session and the issues it plans to raise in Parliament. The proposed Delimitation Bill remained one of the main subjects of discussion.
Congress Discusses Strategy on Delimitation
The Congress is paying particular attention to the delimitation issue because the political situation in the Lok Sabha has changed since the bill was last discussed.
The party is assessing how the proposed changes could affect the representation of states in Parliament and the political balance between different regions.
The government has also reportedly held a series of high-level meetings on the proposed legislation. A meeting at the prime minister’s residence reportedly continued for around two-and-a-half hours and was attended by senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and Nitin Nabin.
The Congress meeting was held soon after these political consultations.
Does the Government Have the Required Numbers?
A constitutional amendment bill requires a special majority in Parliament. It must be supported by a majority of the total membership of the House and by at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.
Political parties are therefore closely watching the position of regional and opposition groups.
Some reports suggest that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction could consider supporting the bill if it follows a formula providing a 50 per cent increase in representation. Other regional parties could also play an important role in deciding the bill’s fate.
However, no party’s final position can be considered confirmed until the bill and its exact provisions are officially presented.
The proposed Delimitation Bill is expected to become one of the most contentious issues of the Monsoon Session. With the Congress announcing its opposition and the government working to secure support, Parliament could witness a major political confrontation over the legislation.
