Monsoon session to begin from August 1

As hinted earlier,the session is scheduled to last a week longer so that the two Houses have enough time to discuss and vote important Bills. The Bills lined up for the budget session had to be deferred because the two Houses wrapped up their sittings early to enable political leaders to campaign in Assembly elections.

The BJP was quick to take on the government over the session schedule. Being in the dock over corruption,the government is obviously scared of facing the Opposition, said BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.

Apart from the Lokpal Bill,the government has to take a call on the Food Security Bill,Communal Violence Bill and Land Acquisition Bill. Then,it has to contend with the controversial Womens Reservation Bill,practically abandoned after being passed by the Rajya Sabha last year. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has convened a meeting of floor leaders of parties on Wednesday to work out a consensus on the Bill. Bansal said the government was serious about getting the Bill passed by the Lok Sabha.