NEW DELHI: Parliament’s budget session resumes on Monday amid indications of an ‘EPIC’ showdown between the government and the opposition, which is planning to raise issues such as the alleged manipulation of electoral rolls, the fresh bout of violence in Manipur, and India’s handling of the Trump administration.
The focus of the government will be on getting Parliament’s nod for the demands for grants, completion of the budgetary process, seeking approval for the Manipur budget, and passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill.
Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to move a statutory resolution seeking Parliament approval for the proclamation of President’s Rule in Manipur.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also scheduled to table the budget for Manipur on Monday. Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13 after the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
The opposition said it is set to corner the government over the issue of duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.
The Trinamool Congress has taken the lead in flagging the issue, following which the Election Commission declared that it would take corrective measures within the next three months.
The Election Commission had rejected the Trinamool Congress claim that the voter lists were manipulated to allow voters from other states to exercise their franchise in West Bengal.
The poll body also made it clear that while the EPIC numbers of some voters “may be identical,” other details such as demographic information, assembly constituency, and polling booth are different.
Trinamool Congress leaders are meeting the Election Commission on Monday and have also rallied other opposition parties, including the Congress, DMK, and Shiv Sena-UBT, to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament during the second part of the Budget session.
For the government, the early passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill is a priority.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said at the India Today Conclave last week that the government is keen on the early passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, as it will solve many issues of the Muslim community.
A Joint Committee of Parliament submitted its report on the bill in the Lok Sabha amid vociferous protests by the opposition.
Issues such as the fresh violence in Manipur, the threat of reciprocal tariffs by US President Donald Trump, the political furore over the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies are also expected to find an echo in Parliament.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said the opposition INDIA bloc leaders will hold “extensive consultation” to jointly oppose the Waqf bill.
Ramesh also said the Congress will also keep raising the issue of irregularities in the election process, alleging that elections are “no longer free and fair” and are being “masterminded and orchestrated.”.
He said the Congress will raise the issue of Trump’s reciprocal-tariff threats during the second half of the budget session and called for a bipartisan collective resolve to deal with the threats.
The first part of the budget session of Parliament was from January 31 to February 13. The second part will commence on March 10 and continue till April 4.
