Congress alleges Modi government delayed Parliament closing to force delimitation bill through

The monsoon session of Parliament has crossed a record 88 days without being formally ended, prompting sharp criticism from the Congress party on Monday. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that the unusual delay is an intentional move to give Home Minister Amit Shah enough time to pressure lawmakers into securing a two-thirds majority for upcoming delimitation legislation. Parliament's lower and upper houses were initially adjourned for an indefinite period on August 13.

Background

Parliamentary procedure handbooks typically suggest that the gap between adjourning a session indefinitely and ending it completely should only be two to four days, with previous notable delays including 28 days in 2015 and 87 days during peculiar circumstances in 2008. Leaving a session open without formally closing it allows the government to call lawmakers back at short notice of just two days instead of waiting the usual fourteen days needed for a brand new session. This procedural flexibility keeps alive speculation about quick legislative moves regarding seat redrawing plans linked to the women's reservation policy.

Opposition Demands

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi four times over the past six months to demand an all-party meeting. The Opposition wants all proposals regarding seat reallocation discussed openly and transparently before any bills are formally brought to the floor. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju previously defended the timeline by pointing to the 2008 precedent in an October 19 letter to Mr. Kharge. Meanwhile, Congress leaders maintain that opposition unity will once again block any heavy-handed tactics by the ruling administration, recalling how a similar constitutional amendment failed to pass the lower house on April 17.