Monsoon Session: What's on the agenda

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 21. Unless extended, the Session will go on till August 13. The agenda includes 11 legislative Bills currently pending in Parliament for consideration and passing. Nine new Bills are also proposed to be introduced.

THE STORY SO FAR: The Session has lost 10 working days so far because of adjournments and special leave in respect of former President APJ Abdul Kalam's demise. The Opposition has been gunning for resignation of Union ministers Sushma Swaraj (pictured) and Smriti Irani. The Vyapam Scam uncovered in Madhya Pradesh is adding to the heat. The government faces a stiff challenge to conduct business in the remaining 11 days of the Session.

1. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 or Land Bill: Seeks to exempts five categories of projects from certain provisions of the Act and brings the compensation and rehabilitation and resettlement provisions of 13 laws in line with the Act.

2. The  Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014: Seeks to bring into implementation a Value Added Tax to be implemented in the country from April 2016. (In picture: Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu)

3. Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill, 2013: Seeks to regulate transactions between buyers and promoters of residential real estate projects. It establishes state level regulatory authorities called Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERAs).

4. Consumer Protection Bill 2015: Seeks to replace a 29-year-old law and proposes to set up a regulatory authority that will have powers to recall products and initiate class suit against defaulting companies, including e-tailers. (In picture: Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi)

5. National Commission for Women Bill, 2015: Prepared in June last year, it originally proposed to give the NCW the status of a civil court and the powers to issue arrest warrants if its summons were not heeded.

There are some new Bills in the offing too: Lokpal and Lokayuktas; Benami Transaction (Prohibition); Anti Hijacking, Compensatory Afforestation; Human Immunodeficiency Virus & Acquired Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control); The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Services); The National Commission for Women Bill, 2015; The DNA Profiling Bill, 2015.