Parliament Budget session may conclude on Thursday

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) As Assembly polls in four states and one union territory is to begin from March 27, the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament is likely to be cut short and concluded on Thursday, sources said.Floor leaders of various political parties had requested that the session, which was originally scheduled to continue till April 8, be curtailed due to the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry being held between March 27 and April 29."The second part of the Budget Session that started on March 8 is likely to be curtailed and may end on March 25," said the source, based on requests made by several political parties, especially Trinamool Congress (TMC), as the first phase of Assembly polls is to start in West Bengal on March 27.Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha have received over 100 formal letters from several parliamentarians on behest of their parties to curtail the session citing Assembly elections as the reason.Trinamool floor leaders in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien respectively had also submitted similar letters requesting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu to adjourn both the Houses sine die.The first part of the Budget Session started on January 29 and concluded on February 29. After a recess, the second part of the Budget Session commenced on March 8.Assembly polls will be held for 294 seats in West Bengal in eight phases between March 27 and April 29. The polls will be held for 126 seats in Assam in three phases between March 27 and April 6. The elections for 30 seats in Puducherry, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and 140 seats in Kerala will be held in a single phase on April 6. The results for the same will be announced on May 2.
--IANS rak/dpb