Government's plan to extend Budget session faces opposition

NEW DELHI: The Government plans to extend the current session of Lok Sabha beyond Friday but the move did not find favour at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, where even allies like Shiv Sena opposed it.

Sources said government had planned to extend the current Budget session of Lok Sabha beyond May 8 depending upon the pending business before it.

However, when the proposal was floated by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy at the BAC meeting, headed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, several political parties opposed it.

BJD-led the opposition to the move. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, had sounded the party MPs that they should be prepared for an extension of the Lok Sabha beyond Friday, if required.

"A call will be taken on the move only tomorrow, depending upon the pending business," a senior government functionary said.

Sources said government intended convening the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs meeting tomorrow, depending on the pending business before it.

Government wants to bring a host of bills, which are to be taken up in Lok Sabha, including the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill and National Waterways Bill among others.

The current session of Lok Sabha ends on May 8, and that of Rajya Sabha on May 13. The session of the Upper House had also started three days later.