Special Session of Parliament to begin in old building, will shift to new building on Ganesha Chaturthi: Report

The Special Session of Parliament is going to commence in the old building on September 18 and will later be moved to the new building on September 19, on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, news agency ANI reported on Wednesday. 

According to a recent notification, the special session of Parliament will take place for two and a half days in the old Parliament and three and a half days in the new Parliament building. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on June 1. 

Last week, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced that the "special session" of Parliament will be from September 18 to 22. But didn't share the agenda, triggering speculation. 

The five-day special session, which was announced last week, will reportedly see the introduction of bills on women's reservation and 'one nation-one election'.

On September 2, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha secretariats said the special session of both Houses of Parliament will be held from September 18-22 without Question Hour or private members’ business.

The session will have five sittings and members will be informed about the provisional calendar separately, the secretariats said.

"Members are informed that the Thirteenth Session of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha will commence on Monday, September 18, 2023," the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

"Members are informed that the Two Hundred and Sixty-First Session of the Rajya Sabha will commence on Monday, September 18, 2023," the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

Traditionally, there are three parliamentary sessions in a year -- Budget, Monsoon and Winter sessions.

Earlier in the day, former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi wrote to PM Narendra Modi pointing out that no agenda had been listed for the special session of parliament.

"You have convened a special five-day session of the Parliament beginning 18 September, 2023. I must point out that this Special Session has been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us have any idea of its agenda," the Congress leader said.

She also listed nine issues and urged the Prime Minister to allow time for discussion on them in the upcoming session.

She added: "I earnestly hope that time will be allocated under the appropriate Rules for a discussion and debate on these issues."

The nine listed issues in her letter are:

1. Current economic situation with focus on increasing price rise of essential commodities, growing unemployment, rise in inequalities and distress of MSMEs.

2. Commitment made by the Government of India to farmers and farmer organisations in regard to MSP and other demands raised by them.

3. Demand for a JPC to investigate the transactions of the Adani business group in light of all revelations.

4. The continued agony faced by people of Manipur and breakdown of Constitutional machinery and social harmony in the State.

5. Rise in communal tension in different States like Haryana.

6. Continued occupation of Indian Territory by China and challenges to our sovereignty on our borders in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

7. Urgent need for a Caste Census.

8. Damages being inflicted on Centre-State relations.

9. Impact of natural disasters caused by extreme floods in some States and drought in others.

Sonia Gandhi wrote to PM Modi a day after the use of "Bharat" - instead of "India" in official G20 Summit invitations sparked a controversy over possible name change. News reports have said the Centre may put forward a resolution to change the country's name later this month during the five-day special session of parliament.

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