Winter Session of Parliament Likely From 15 December: Reports

Congress and BJP had earlier engaged in a war of words over the delay in the announcement of the winter session.

The Indian parliament building in New Delhi.

(Photo: Reuters)

Reports suggest the Winter Session of Parliament will be held between 15 December and 5 January – a day after the conclusion of the Gujarat Assembly elections.

The reports come close on the heels of the Congress accusing the Centre of delaying the session.

War of Words Over Winter Session

During the CWC meeting on 20 November, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had said: “Modi government in arrogance has cast a dark shadow on India’s parliamentary democracy by sabotaging Winter Session on flimsy grounds.”

It’s mistaken if it thinks by locking temple of democracy, it’ll escape constitutional accountability ahead of elections... The Prime Minister had the audacity to have a midnight celebration in Parliament to launch an ill prepared and flawed GST but today he lacks the courage to face the Parliament.

Sonia Gandhi

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on 21 November, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP of delaying the Parliament winter session, saying that the party in power at the Centre was afraid of opposition debate ahead of Gujarat elections.

Gujarat elections are a priority for the BJP, which is why they are stalling parliamentary discussions on topics such as GST. They are afraid that the opposition’s charge could expose them ahead of Gujarat elections.

Mallikarjun Kharge

(This is a developing story. Details awaited.)