Re-promulgation of Land Ordinance not ruled out

Amid mounting suspense, two senior ministers today did not rule out re-promulgation of the Ordinance on Land Acquisition which expires on April 5.
The government, which is mulling various options, meanwhile, took post-facto approval from the Union Cabinet to the nine amendments which have been included in a bill that was cleared by Lok Sabha and is pending before Rajya Sabha.
A hint about re-promulgation of the Ordinance, that was initially issued in December last, was given by Rural Development Minister Birender Singh, who told reporters in Chandigarh that the Ordinance could be re-issued.
"You know that the Ordinance is going to lapse on April 5. Rajya Sabha has not passed it. May be it (Ordinance) will be re-promulgated," he said when asked about the fate of the controversial Ordinance which a bill seeks to replace.

In Delhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu dismissed as "speculation" the reports that the government may allow the ordinance to lapse on April 5.
"I have seen in certain quarters today that Land Acquisition Ordinance may be allowed to lapse. These are speculation. Government has not taken any such decision to allow Land Acquisition Ordinance to lapse," Naidu told reporters here.

"Whatever is needed to be done will be done by the government at an appropriate time," he added.
Meanwhile, official sources recalled instances of government issuing Ordinances when the Lok Sabha was in session but the Rajya Sabha was not and a bill on the subject was pending before Parliament.

There were also instances, it recalled, when Ordinances were issued after the Rajya Sabha was prorogued and the Lok Sabha adjourned sine die but had not been prorogued.