Parliament prorogued, new session in Feb

New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Union government Wednesday
decided to get Parliament prorogued and to have a new brief
session in the middle of February next year, scotching
speculation about prolonging further the Monsoon session.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA),
chaired by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, met
Wednesday and decided to recommend to President that the
session that concluded Tuesday be prorogued.

Briefing reporters after the CCPA meeting,
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vyalar Ravi said the next
session will be held sometime in the middle of February next
year.

When asked about when the new session would be
convened, he said the CCPA would meet again to decide on the
schedule.

Earlier at a press conference, Ravi dismissed reports
that the government had decided to prorogue the session under
pressure from Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

Ravi said it was not fair to drag the Speaker's name
in the issue and added that he was "surprised" to see media
reports in this regard.

"It was never the intention of the government to
prolong the session," Minster of State for Parliamentary P K
Bansal, who was also present, said.

Ravi said a notice was issued Tuesday itself for
convening a meeting of the CCPA Wednesday to prorogue the
House. Before adjourning the House, the agenda for the CCPA
was issued, he said.

The longest session of Parliament in recent times
started on July 21 for the trust vote after Left parties
withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
Government. It concluded Tuesday after prolonging in three
parts.

Opposition parties charged the government with
continuing the session till new year in order escape a no
confidence motion because under rules a discussion on the same
subject cannot be taken up twice in one session.

Government has already said that Parliament would be
meeting in February ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to pass the
vote on account. PTI NAB
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