Session of Parliament is all set to be a stormy affair with opposition parties closing ranks over the imposition of Presidents' rule in Uttarakhand. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has on Sunday presided over an all-party meeting and made a strong pitch for the smooth functioning of parliament session. The speaker sought the cooperation of floor leaders of all parties to ensure a smooth transaction of business in the lower house.

“The issue of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand is sub judice. I don’t think it can be discussed until April 27,” Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said. "All parties have promised they will cooperate to ensure a fruitful and functional session," Mahajan later said.

"All the parties brought up the issue of drought in various parts of the country," Mahajan said.

Those present at the meeting included Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), P Venugopal (AIADMK), Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD), A P Jithender Reddy (TRS), Tariq Anwar (NCP) and Ram Chandra Paswan (LJP). The government was represented by Minister of State Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

"Normally, the budget session is split into two sessions. This time, it will be an entirely new session as both houses of parliament were prorogued to facilitate constitutional requirements of Uttarakhand," said a parliamentary official.

Congress backed by the Left, JD(U) and other opposition parties, is determined to corner the Centre over the imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, calling it an "assault" on the federal structure

The financial business, including discussion on demands for grants of various ministries in Lok Sabha and working of some ministries in Rajya Sabha, consideration and passing of the Railways Appropriation Bill, 2016 and Finance Bill, 2016 constitutes the main agenda of this session of Parliament.

By Premji