Government Calls ‘Special Session’ Of Parliament, No Word On Agenda

New Delhi: A special session of Parliament will be held from September 18 to 22, with five sittings, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced on Thursday.

“Special Session of Parliament (13th Session of 17th Lok Sabha and 261st Session of Rajya Sabha) is being called from 18th to 22nd September having five sittings. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to having fruitful discussions and debate in Parliament,” Joshi wrote on X.

The announcement came as a surprise in political circles with the parties gearing up for assembly polls in five states later this year. Government sources, however, are been tight-lipped on possible agenda of the session which will be held days after the G20 summit in the national capital on September 9 and 10. There is also no hint of any important bill that will be passed.

According to NDTV, there is speculation the special session is being called to begin the process of shifting from the old to the new Parliament building. So, this session may begin in the old and end in the new.

Prior to this, the Monsoon Session was held from July 20 to August 11, which saw a total of 17 sittings spread over 23 days, and witnessed massive disruptions every day with Opposition leaders demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Manipur. It was held in the old Parliament building.

Some reports also suggested the possibility of early Lok Sabha polls.

Reacting to the announcement, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the Special Session during India’s most important festival of Ganesh Chaturthi goes against the Hindu sentiments. “Surprised at their choice of dates!” she wrote on X.