Rajya Sabha likely to take up Land Acquisition Bill after recess

NEW DELHI: With 14 opposition parties joining hands to oppose the contentious land acquisition bill, the government is not likely to bring it up for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha before Parliament goes into a recess and may have to promulgate an amended ordinance in line with the bill passed by the Lok Sabha.

Government sources said it has virtually been decided that the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, will not be taken up by the Rajya Sabha for passage before Parliament goes into a recess on March 20. Lok Sabha passed the bill on March 10.

“Even if we bring the bill in the Rajya Sabha for passage, the Opposition will force us to send it to a select committee of the House. With just two working days left before the recess, the bill can then be taken up only after April 20, when Parliament meets after the recess. The ordinance will lapse then as well,” a Union minister told ET.

Government sources said the Constitution permits promulgation of an ordinance even if Parliament is in recess. Article 123 deals with powers of the President to “promulgate ordinances during recess” and hence government would be well within its right to issue a fresh ordinance even though Parliament has not been prorogued.