Budget session of Parliament to reconvene on April 16 ‘for three days’

new delhi: The Budget Session of Parliament will reconvene on April 16 after a brief recess to pass bills to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 so that the women’s reservation law can be implemented at the earliest, in what is expected to be the latest flashpoint between the government and the opposition amid the poll season.

While the government is keen on passing the Bills, including amending the women’s reservation Bill or Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, the opposition has accused the Centre of trying to hurriedly move for passing amendments to take political advantage in the state elections.

The two Houses will reconvene on April 16, with sources saying that the sitting will likely be for three days to take up the proposed legislation. The government is learnt to have conveyed to the opposition parties that the Houses are likely to meet for three days beginning April 16.

Sources said that the Bills for implementation of the women’s quota law would likely be brought in Lok Sabha first.

Earlier in the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, while speaking in Rajya Sabha, said the House will meet again soon to consider a key legislation. “We have certain Bills and important issues, and we have shared this with the opposition also. We are going to have a very important Bill in the next two-three weeks,” he said. The government has been holding back-channel talks with the Opposition to bring at least two Bills to implement the women’s reservation law and delink delimitation from the Census to increase seats in Lok Sabha.

The issue saw a war of words between the treasury and opposition benches in Rajya Sabha, with Leader of House J P Nadda stressing that the government has the right to decide on the timing when a legislation has to be brought in.