New Delhi: Ten days after both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die following the Monsoon Session, the Centre is yet to formally notify the end of the session, triggering fresh speculation over a possible move to reconvene Parliament and push through a delimitation Bill ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Under normal practice, the conclusion of a parliamentary session takes effect after a formal notification by the President. Congress has seized on the delay to allege that the government could be keeping open the possibility of recalling Parliament for a fresh attempt at constitutional changes linked to delimitation.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh pointed out that such notifications generally follow within two to four days of a session ending. He noted that notifications had taken longer in 2015 and 2021 as well, but argued that the present delay raised questions because of the government’s ongoing efforts on delimitation.
The Centre had attempted to secure the required two-thirds majority for a constitutional amendment on delimitation during the Budget Session but failed amid strong Opposition resistance. During the Monsoon Session, it was again reported to be seeking support by winning over Trinamool Congress MPs, maintaining ties with the DMK despite its differences with the INDIA bloc, and securing backing from the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP.
However, uncertainty over the DMK’s position meant the government could not be confident of securing the required majority in the Lok Sabha.
Speculation had also grown that Parliament could reconvene on August 17 or 18. Those reports faded after Speaker Om Birla announced on August 13 that the Houses had been adjourned sine die.