Rajya Sabha prorogued

The Rajya Sabha was on Saturday prorogued by President Pranab Mukherjee, an official statement said, giving the government the scope for repromulgating an ordinance amending the land acquisition act.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

A bill to replace the ordinance issued in December was passed by the Lok Sabha in the first half of the winter session. The bill, however, faces a roadblock in the upper house where the government is in a minority.

The decision was taken after attempts at talks with the opposition failed to reach any conclusion.

Proroguing the upper house brings an end to its 234th session which started on February 23, when the budget session of the Lok Sabha was called. It was earlier supposed to meet after a break on April 20.

According to Article 123 of the constitution which gives the president the power to pass an ordinance - a law brought by the government without parliament's approval - an ordinance cannot be promulgated while both houses are in session.

The end of session for the Rajya Sabha means the government can now reissue the ordinance, which was to lapse on April 5.