Parliament's Monsoon Session could be Stormy

Image: Ajay Verma / Reuters

The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to begin in the first week of August and last till the end of the month. Though it is hoped that the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha would get some business done, some disruptions are likely.

The total productive time in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament was only 95 hours (49 percent of available time), with frequent disruptions over resource licensing (coal blocks, telecom spectrum) stalling business. The Rajya Sabha was marginally better, using 52 percent of its time for business.

The August session could also be stormy, with the Opposition sharpening its knives to take on the government over the Food Security Ordinance. However, some believe the Opposition would not throw caution to the wind, lest they appear to be protesting against a law that hopes to feed the country’s starving millions—votes are at stake.

The joker in the pack, however, could be the Samajwadi Party, a UPA ally. There is speculation that party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav may suddenly revive his demand for minority quotas, a vexed issue sure to raise the Opposition’s and the Treasury’s hackles. Some fear the issue will snowball, potentially even paving the way for early elections.