A five-day long special session of Parliament is set to commence on Monday (September 18). The session will be held amid an intense speculation on whether the government will have some surprise item up its sleeve during the sitting that will see a discussion on Parliament’s 75-year journey and House proceedings moving to the new building.

As per Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, a total of eight bills have been listed for consideration and passage during the session.

. At an all-party meeting held on Sunday, floor leaders were reportedly informed that a bill on the welfare of senior citizens and three related to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) order have been added to the agenda.

The bills listed earlier include the one on the appointment of chief election commissioner and election commissioners. The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the last Monsoon session and has drawn protests from the opposition as it seeks to put service conditions of the chief election commissioner and two election commissioners on par with the cabinet secretary and not a Supreme Court judge, as is the case now.

Though there is no official word on any probable new legislation, there has been a view, including in the BJP circles, that there is a bill to ensure quota for women in elected legislatures like Lok Sabha and state assemblies, news agency PTI reported. When asked about the government’s stand on the demands by various parties to bring the women’s reservation bill in the five-day session, Joshi said the government will take “an appropriate decision at an appropriate time.