THE WINTER Session of Parliament, which usually begins around the third week of November, is likely to be put off till campaigning ends for the last phase of the Gujarat assembly elections next month, said top sources in the government. Since campaigning for the two-phase Gujarat elections ends on December 12, this would mean a considerable delay. The winter session usually begins in the second half of November, a couple of weeks after Diwali. With Diwali on October 19 this year, political circles have been anticipating a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) to decide the winter session dates for a while now.
Under the rules, the dates have to be announced at least 15 days before the session starts, giving MPs enough time to reach Delhi from their respective constituencies.
“There will be a substantial delay in the winter session of Parliament. It does not seem like the session will start this month. There are indications that the session may actually start after the last day of campaigning in Gujarat, which is on December 12,” said a highly placed source.