Bulldozer tactics: Why Congress is smelling a plot in Parliament's 88-day record
The Indian Parliament has remained formally open for a record 88 days without being prorogued, sparking concerns from the Congress party. Opposition leaders suspect the government is keeping the session alive to potentially push through controversial delimitation bills.
Why it matters
The procedural status of Parliament sessions impacts legislative transparency and the balance of power between the ruling party and the opposition.
The Parliament has not met for 88 days, and its Monsoon Session, which started on July 20, is still technically alive. The unusual delay in formally ending the session has set a record and triggered allegations from the Congress that the Centre is preparing another attempt to push through its "dangerous and destructive" delimitation bills. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of trying to secure a two-thirds majority for the bills, warning against his "trademark bulldozer tactics".The allegations come nearly seven months after the Opposition defeated the government's attempt to fast-track women's reservations alongside an expansion of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to a maximum of 850.On Monday (November 9), Parliament set a record by remaining formally open for 88 days after its last sitting, surpassing the previous record of 87 days set in 2008.
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