Houses to resume, OoP bill on menu
The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister.
Parliament session will be reconvened from May 10 to May 23 to discuss legislation on the offices of profit besides several other bills.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has taken a decision in this regard, Parliamentary Affairs Minister PR Dasmunsi said.
Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee would write to leaders of all political parties in Parliament to seek their opinion on the proposed legislation on the offices of profit.
"The CCPA has decided that Mukherjee shall write to the parties represented in Parliament to provide inputs as to what kind of legislation they prefer and their suggestions," Dasmunsi said.
The opinions so received would form the basis of the proposed comprehensive bill on the matter, he said.
Asked whether an all-party meeting would be convened to seek their views, Dasmunsi said since the principle Opposition BJP as well as the Samajwadi Party was not in favour of such an exercise, "we are not having any all-party meeting."
To a question whether any time limit had been set to get the political parties' views, he said there was no time limit. "As soon as we get their opinion, it will enable us to understand" their views.
Asked whether any draft bill was ready, the Minister replied in the negative.
He said whether the legislation would be within the existing law or whether clauses needed to be changed would "all depend on the views of the political parties".
The Parliament was adjourned sine die on March 22 on the recommendations of the government, Dasmunsi said, adding, "since we made an assurance while recommending sine die adjournment, we shall try to maintain the schedule of the second part of the session."
He said several legislative measures cleared today by the Union Cabinet will figure in the session, which would also have several other businesses.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the Government would convey to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to reconvene the next part of the session from May 10.
