UCC, 24x7 shops on agenda for MP Monsoon session

Bhopal: Monsoon session of Madhya Pradesh assembly will be held in July. Preparations for it have been started at the assembly secretariat, as well as at the govt level.The assembly session would start from July 20 and will continue till July 24.The govt would bring in the first supplementary budget in the assembly. All the depts have been asked to send the proposal of demands for the first supplementary on June 13.The govt will bring in the MP Code on Empowering Work Spaces, 2026. Under the new act, there would be no restriction on opening shops/establishments 24 hours.The govt would also push for the uniform civil code in the assembly. MP govt constituted a six-member committee for uniform civil code on April 27.Simhastha Act for the Ujjain Simhastha 2028 may also be brought in the assembly, replacing the 71-year-old Madhya Bharat Simhastha Mela Act, 1955 (Central India Simhastha Fair Act, 1955). Simhastha Act is currently under consideration at the senior secretaries’ level.Govt would bring in around five bills in the brief session of the assembly.The issue that may heat up the assembly would be the recently held elections for Rajya Sabha seats in MP in which Congress candidate Meenakshi Natrajan’s nomination was rejected.

It was following objections that she failed to disclose a pending criminal case in Hyderabad in her election affidavit. The opposition and treasury benches would trade barbs on the issue.For the supplementary budget, the depts have been directed to send the proposals by June 22. In the circular sent to depts for proposals for the supplementary budget, the govt has clarified that the new heads or proposals would not be included that put additional financial burden on state.

The proposal to purchase new vehicles would also not be entertained.The depts can send proposals for which an advance has been sanctioned from the state contingency fund. Besides, in cases where additional budget is required for works approved by the govt of India under the special capital assistance scheme and related works.The MP Code on Empowering Work Spaces, 2026 would bring in to deregulate the sector, following the directives from the union govt to all states.

It allows opening of shops and establishments round the clock and allows women to work at night too, ensuring that employers follow the labour laws. The govt feels that night shifts or more working hours would attract more employment for both men and women. Under it, the state govt may separately notify non-working hours for specific classes of establishments like liquor shops as prescribed.In the UCC, the committee would have to submit a draft bill and a detailed report to the state govt within 60 days starting from April 27, which means the govt would get the draft by this month’s end, if term is not increased and the same can be pushed in the assembly next month.