Core group of ministers meets at Rajnath's residence

A core group of ministers on issues related to parliament session met at the residence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here on Friday ahead of the first session of the new Lok Sabha.

Home Minister Amit Shah was among the ministers who attended the meeting which comes days before the parliament session beginning June 17.

According to sources present in the meeting, discussions were held on coordinating with MPs during the upcoming session, updating the newly elected lawmakers about parliamentary procedures and constitution of parliamentary standing committee.

The session will go on till July 26.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi earlier Friday met Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi, seeking her party's cooperation for smooth functioning of the Parliament session.

Joshi's visit to Gandhi's residence is part of the government's exercise to reach out to the opposition. The meeting lasted around 15 minutes, sources said.

Joshi has also met Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and DMK's leader of house in the Lok Sabha T R Baalu.

Besides presentation of the budget, the government is planning to convert into law 10 ordinances, including the one to ban the practice of instant triple talaq.

The ordinances were issued in February-March this year by the previous government. But the bills which sought to convert them into law could not be passed by parliament.