PRESS RELEASE

The Winter Session of Parliament is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, the 2^nd of December, 2003 and subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session will conclude on Tuesday, the 23^rd of December, 2003.  The Session will provide 16 sittings spread over a period of 22 days.

            To finalise the Government Business for the Winter Session, 2003, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises, Shri Santosh Gangwar, held a meeting with Secretaries/senior officers of concerned Ministries/Departments on Monday, the 24^th of November, 2003 in Parliament House, New Delhi.  Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Defence, Shri O. Rajagopal and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism & Culture, Smt. Bhavanaben Devrajbhai Chikalia co-chaired the meeting. 

            A total of 54 items – 17 Bills pending in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, 30 New Bills, 1 Financial item and 6 items of non-legislative Business, were finalized for being taken up during the Winter Session.

Important items of Legislative, Non-legislative and Financial Business likely to be taken up in the two Houses during the Winter Session are as follows:-

1.      The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Bill, 2003                              }

2.      The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2003                                  }

3.      The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2003    } To replace

4.      The Prevention of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2003                  } Ordinances

5.      The Delimitation (Amendment) Bill, 2003                                      }

6.      The Representation of the People (Amendment)Bill, 2003         }

7.      The National Tax Tribunal Bill, 2003                                               }

8.      Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2003-04.

9.      The Lok Pal Bill, 2001

10. The Industrial Development Bank (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Bill, 2002

11. The Cantonment Bill, 2003

12. The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2003

13. The State of Delhi Bill, 2003

14. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2003

15. The State Emblem of India (Prevention of Misuse) Bill, 2003

16. The National Commission for Children Bill, 2003

17. The Constitution (Eighty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 1999

(To provide reservation of seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies)

18. The Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Bill, 2003

(The Bill seeks to include Bodo Language in the Eighth Scheduled to the Constitution of India)

19. The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment)  Bill, 2003

(The Bill seeks to (i) repeal articles 239 AA and 239AB; and (ii) insert a new article 371 J in the Constitution for special provisions for the State of Delhi etc.)

20.  Discussion on National Charter for Children