New Delhi: Ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an all-party meeting on Sunday, November 28th at 11 AM. Notably, the Winter Session of Parliament will commence on November 28th and is expected to conclude on December 23rd. “The Seventh Session of Seventeenth Lok Sabha will commence on Monday, the 29th November 2021. Subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session is likely to conclude on Thursday, December 23rd, 2021,” the Lok Sabha Secretariat had said in a statement. Such meets are convened to ensure smooth functioning of the House during the session.

The session is of significance as it comes ahead of assembly elections in 5 states, including the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. It will be followed by the Budget Session, but this will be adjourned for recess after a few days of proceedings for passage of the Union Budget. Inflation, rise in fuel prices, rise in prices of edible oil, militant attacks on civilians in Kashmir, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which farmers were killed and cryptocurrency are among the issues, that are likely to be raised by the opposition to corner the government.

Like previous sessions of Parliament in the last one and half years, the Winter Session will be held adhering to COVID-19 protocols. The session is likely to have around 20 sittings. Both Houses of Parliament — Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha – will hold proceedings simultaneously and members will have to follow social distancing norms. Those who will be present in Parliament, including MPs, will be required to wear masks and they could be asked to undergo a COVID-19 test before the start of the Winter Session.