'Support govt's stand': BJP issues whip to party MPs, asks to be present from 18-22 September

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday issued a three-line whip to all party MPs of the Lok Sabha asking them to be present during the special session of Parliament from 18 to 22 September. In the whip, BJP said the Lok Sabha MPs should be present in the house during the speacial parliament session to “discuss very important legislative business and support the government’s stand.” What does BJP whip reads? “All BJP members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that some very important Legislative Business will be taken up for discussion and passing in the Lok Sabha from Monday, the 18th September to Friday, the 22nd September 2023. All members of BJP in Lok Sabha are therefore requested to be positively present in the House throughout on all the five days i.e. from Monday, the 18th September to Friday the 22nd September 2023 and support the Government’s stand,” the whip read. The government has also called for a meeting of the floor leaders of all political parties on 17 September, a day ahead of the five-day special parliament session. Agenda for Parliament’s special session On Wednesday, the government listed a special discussion on Parliament’s journey of 75 years starting from the Samvidhan Sabha om the first day. The government has also listed the bill on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners to be taken up for consideration and passage. The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the last Monsoon session. “Discussion on ‘Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha - Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings’” will be held on 18 September besides other formal business like laying of papers. The business for Lok Sabha also includes ‘The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ and ‘The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’ that has already been passed by Rajya Sabha on 3 August, 2023. Also, ‘The Post Office Bill, 2023’ has been listed in the Lok Sabha business. The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha on 10 August, 2023. The list of business is tentative and more items can be added in the run to the session. With inputs from agencies