Centre to hold talks with parties on pending bills

Dated 16th November, 2015

Gauging the political mood after the Bihar elections which has boosted opposition spirits, the government, while bracing for a stormy session, has decided to have "serious discussions" with key political parties on legislations that need to be passed in the winter session of Parliament that begins on November 26.

Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu and other ministers are likely to hold informal talks with opposition parties through this week. An all-party meeting will take place before the House opens.

While three ordinances have to be turned into laws, the government's greatest concern is to get the GST bill, the legislation on labour reforms and the real estate regulation bill passed.

The three ordinances deal with the Negotiable Instruments Act, commercial jurisdiction of high courts and arbitration.

With just 18 working days in the winter session, it looks unlikely that the government may be able to get much business conducted, more so with the opposition promising a stormy session after the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance defeated the BJP-led coalition in Bihar and the rivals upping the ante on "rising intolerance" across the country.

Sensing that the session will be difficult, the government seems to be willing to "facilitate a discussion on intolerance in an appropriate manner", sources said. By accepting the demand for a debate, the government hopes to make some space for legislations to be passed but trouble will begin if the opposition demands a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government does not yield.

(This article is published in The Times of India on 16 Nov, 2015)