3-week Winter Session likely from Dec 15

The Winter Session of Parliament could be a three-week affair to be convened between December 15 and January as Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs met Wednesday to finalise its schedule days after a political row that saw top leaders from the government and opposition trading barbs at each other.

This could fail to placate the Opposition which has been alleging that the government wants to “run away” rather than face the heat on key issues during the Gujarat elections, which end on December 14, a day before the session is likely to commence.

This also means that the session will cover the entire period of Christmas and New Year holidays.

This also the time during which a number of MPs go on leave, some even abroad.

Rahul Gandhi, who is set to become the Congress president this month is, however, expected to stay back in Delhi this year for the party’s foundation day celebrations on December 28.

The session could have as many as 15 sittings, and it will technically start only on December 18, when the Gujarat and Himachal votes will be counted, as Parliament will adjourn on the first day to pay respect to sitting members who passed away since the last session …read more