Budget Session advanced to February 16

Sources said that the sitting had been advanced in view of impending elections in four states.

The Budget Session of the Parliament has been advanced by a week, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee announced on Friday.

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The session, which was supposed to have begun on February 23, will now commence on February 16.

The sources said that the change in schedule was made in view of requests by leaders of political parties, who also wanted to end the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's customary address to both the Houses, before the Annual Budget was presented on February 28.

The Speaker announced the change in date while briefing reporters on the deliberations of an all-party meeting convened by him to discuss the Supreme Court notice on the expulsion of MPs.

Lok Sabha sources said that the sitting had been advanced in view of the impending elections in four states.

The session would begin on February 16 and continue till March 17. The second part of the session would resume on April 3 and end on April 28.