Congress Accuses Centre of Delaying Lok Sabha Prorogation to Push Delimitation Bills

UPDATE - follow-up to Prorogation record set to give time to Shah to manipulate 'super-tainted' 2/3rd majority: Congress: The 88-day gap since the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die without being prorogued is a deliberate move to help Union Home Minister Amit Shah secure a two-thirds majority for upcoming Delimitation Bills, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed on Monday.

Parliamentary Rules

Mr. Ramesh referenced the eighth edition of the book Practice and Procedure of Parliament, also known as Kaul and Shakdher, to highlight the unprecedented delay. The book states that the usual gap between an adjournment sine die and prorogation is only two to four days, with a previous record footnote of 28 days set during the 2015 monsoon session.

Minister's Letter

The Congress leader noted that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju previously cited an 87-day unprorogued gap from the 2008 monsoon session in an October 19 letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Mr. Ramesh questioned why that 2008 instance was omitted from Kaul and Shakdher, while acknowledging that the earlier arrangement had broad party consensus.

Allegations And Context

Mr. Ramesh alleged that the current 88-day period sets a new record aimed at forcing the dangerous Delimitation Bills through the Lok Sabha. He added that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has written four letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past six months asking for an all-party meeting on the delimitation proposals, but received no response.

Context

Prorogation formally ends a session of Parliament after it has been adjourned sine die by the presiding officer. Delimitation involves redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and state assembly constituencies based on population changes, which often sparks intense political debate over state representation.