The Budget session ended on Wednesday in Lok Sabha, two days before its schedule adjournment, with the government deciding not to push the Goods and Services Tax Bill for the time being.
The Upper House will be adjourned on Thursday after retiring members make their farewell speeches. The closing of the session will allow the BJP, Congress, ADMK, DMK and some parties devote more time in the last three days of campaign for the assembly elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Voting in the two southern states will take place on May 16 and the campaigning ends on Saturday.
The government and the Congress-led Opposition clashed over Augusta Westland scam and dismissal of Uttarakhand government but the NDA managed to pass 10 bills, working for nearly 93 hours in the Lower House.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and the Anti-Hijacking Bill were among the key legislation that were approved by Parliament. “I am happy to inform you that in the recent past this is the first session in which House was not adjourned even for a single minute due to interruptions,” speaker Sumitra Mahajan said in her valedictory address.
Government sources said, it realised that it has little chance to pass the GST bill as the Congress is yet to come on board. “There was no point dragging the session when many parties regularly sought more time for poll campaign,” said an official.
{{/usCountry}}Government sources said, it realised that it has little chance to pass the GST bill as the Congress is yet to come on board. “There was no point dragging the session when many parties regularly sought more time for poll campaign,” said an official.
{{/usCountry}}While the BJP is eyeing to increase its footprint in Kerala, the Left is trying to return to power in the southern state. The Congress wants to retain its government in Kerala and improve its tally in Tamil Nadu where it has entered into an alliance with DMK. Both DMK and the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu have high stakes in the campaign for the state election.