Monsoon Session likely in September

New Delhi, Aug 5 (UNI) Faced with criticism for not convening Parliament from August 11 as announced earlier, the government is reportedly planning to have the Monsoon session in mid-September.

There were reports that the government was planning to skip the monsoon session fearing Left and BJP onslaught on the nuclear deal issue.

With the August 11 sitting not taking place, the Left and the Opposition parties have come out in the open questioning the government's alleged move to undermine democratic institutions.

While deciding to have a two-day special session of Lok Sabha from July 21 for the trust vote, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs had also announced that the Monsoon Session would begin on August 11 and end on September five.

Official sources maintained that there was no urgency in having a Monsoon Session as it is for the Speaker and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to fix the sitting schedule of Parliament depending upon the exigencies of government business.

Moreover, the Lok Sabha was not prorogued by the President after the July 21-22 special session.

It is learnt that the government was not in a hurry to have the Monsoon Session before expanding the Union Cabinet to accommodate its new found allies who had helped the government win the trust vote which was necessitated by the withdrawal of support by the Left Parties.

Parliamentary sources said the CCPA would meet again soon to decide the fresh date of the Monsoon Session.

Congress Spokesman Manish Tewari told mediapersons that there was no move to skip the Monsoon Session.

"There is no question of the government shying away from Parliament," he said.

UNI PMD/SH RP KN1951