LS may sit an extra day for key bills

Government is mulling an extra day's Lok Sabha sitting before the recess to ensure passage of the crucial Land and the Coal and Mines bills in Parliament.
The three key bills seek to replaces ordinances issued by the government earlier.
While the land bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha last week, the bills on Mines and Minerals and Coal and Mines have also been passed by the Lower House earlier this month.
The Mines and Coal bills have been referred to Select Committees by Rajya Sabha that will submit their reports by March 18.
Sources said once the Select panels submit their reports on March 18, the bills will be taken by the Upper House on Thursday, and in case of any amendments in the Land bill and Coal Bill, the same may have to go to Lok Sabha again.

The sources add that government is considering a day more in case of some disruption in the Upper House and the bills are taken up on Friday.

However, in case there are no amendments in the bills, there will be no need for any extension, the sources said.
The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015, would replace two ordinances issued by the government -- the first on October 21 last year and the other in December, after the apex court cancelled the allocation of 204 blocks.
The bill seeks to introduce the system of auction of mines to enhance transparency and augment mineral production was passed in Lok Sabha today, with the government terming it a "revolutionary" step.

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015, also seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated in January. The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha amid vociferous protests by members from TMC, BJD and RSP.
The two ordinances will lapse on April 5 and need to be replaced by the bills by then.
The contentious Land bill was passed in Lok Sabha on March 10 after government carried out nine amendments to it and persuaded most of its allies to support it.