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Monsoon session likely in mid-July, crowd management bill to steal focus
Bengaluru: Although BJP, the principal opposition party, has been demanding a special session of the legislature to debate the recent stadium stampede tragedy, the govt is leaning towards holding a regular monsoon session in mid-July.
Authorities have tentatively fixed July 14 as the start date for the session though the cabinet, will discuss the session's schedule at the next meeting.
"A two-week session with 10 working days in mid-July fits well before the festival season," said a senior official from the parliamentary affairs department. "The cabinet may either set the dates or authorise the chief minister to decide and advise the governor accordingly."
By convention, the gap between two sessions should not exceed six months. Since the budget session — the previous one — ended on March 21, the govt has until the third week of Sept to convene the next session.
But CM Siddaramaiah is said to be in favour of an early session amid BJP's pressure over the stampede tragedy that claimed 11 lives during RCB's IPL victory celebrations. Siddaramaiah reportedly wants to end the public discourse by facilitating a debate on the incident in the assembly.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, addressing the controversy, urged the opposition to use parliamentary procedures rather than protests. "It is an unfortunate incident," he said. "We took stern action, including suspending police officials and ordering a judicial probe. Let the opposition debate the issue in the assembly instead of creating a public spectacle for political gain."
The session is expected to begin with the assembly ratifying revocation of suspension of 18 BJP legislators.
These MLAs were suspended on the last day of the previous session on charges of indiscipline and unruly behaviour, even as the opposition demanded a judicial investigation over the alleged honey trap targeting cooperation minister KN Rajanna and other members. Speaker UT Khader decided to revoke the suspensions after Siddaramaiah intervened, but rules demand the decision must be ratified through a resolution.
The session is likely to be stormy as BJP and JD(S) are preparing to corner the govt over the stampede tragedy. In response, the govt plans to introduce a bill on crowd management.
"We want to bring in a policy for crowd management and it is the need of the hour. We will prepare a framework, and a bill may be introduced," said Shivakumar.
Parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil said the govt has already prepared a draft bill, while home minister G Parameshwara, whose department is expected to pilot the bill, said standard operating procedures on managing crowds during big events are being considered for inclusion in the proposed legislation.
Other legislations likely to come up include the Gig Workers Welfare Bill, currently in the form of an ordinance, and the Rohith Vemula Bill aimed at protecting Dalit students in higher educational institutions. The contentious proposed bill to increase work hours in the private sector is also expected to generate debate, along with the proposed caste census.
