Govt doesn't rule out proroguing House for land Bill

Government today did not rule out the possibility of proroguing Parliament to enable repromulgation of an Ordinance relating to land acquisition.
"There is no decision whether to prorogue Parliament. There is lot of time between now and April 5," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.
He was replying to a query on whether the Union Cabinet has decided on proroguing Parliament.
The government had in December last year issued an Ordinance to ease rules for acquisition of land for industries and other projects. This Ordinance, as per rules, has to be converted into an Act within 6 weeks of the convening of the next Parliament session.

The Budget session of Parliament opened on February 23 and accordingly the land Ordinance has to be converted into Act before April 5, failing which it will lapse.
The option of repromulgating the Ordinance cannot be exercised as Parliament has only broken for a recess for reconvening on April 20. When the House is in session, the Ordinance cannot be reissued and to do so Parliament has to first be prorogued.
Observers believe, the government which got its key reform bills in coal and mine sector approved, may look at proroguing the House and calling for a fresh session for passing of the Finance Bill.

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015, was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 10 and is yet to be taken up by the Rajya Sabha.