Budget session's first phase may be extended

The first phase of the parliament's budget session may be extended by two days to pass bills on coal, mines and minerals on which the government has issued ordinances, sources said on Wednesday.

The coal bill, the mines and minerals bill and the land bill are required to be passed in parliament to replace the ordinances promulgated by the government. The ordinances lapse on April 5.

Under the rules, the government cannot re-issue the ordinances during the session.

Parliament is scheduled to take a break on March 20 and reconvene on April 20. The budget session is expected to end on May 8.

According to official sources, the issue of extending the first phase of the budget session was discussed in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday.

Sources said a final decision will be taken by the government on Thursday.

The government is hopeful to get the coal allocation bill and mines and minerals bill passed in the upper house but if the bills are passed with some changes, they will have to come back to the Lok Sabha.

However, the government does not appear to have hope about passage of land acquisition bill which is strongly opposed by most opposition parties.

Sources said the government was looking at the possibility of proroguing one of the houses of parliament after the first half of budget session to re-promulgate ordinance on land bill.