Shinde: T Bill in next session

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday asserted that the Telangana Bill would come to Parliament in the next session. While it was expected, Shinde’s assertion only confirmed the Government resolve to pass the Telangana Bill ahead of the General Election in 2014.

On the sidelines of the 26th Intelligence Bureau (IB) Centenary Endowment Lecture, 2013, at Vigyan Bhawan in the capital, Shinde said that the government was determined to bring the Telangana Bill and the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill in the next session of Parliament.

This assumes significance, as the Telangana Bill has now been referred to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. It has been given time till January 23, after which it will come back to the President, who, in turn, will send it to the Union Home Minister. After making necessary changes, if it so warrants, the Home Minister will bring it to the Union Cabinet. After the nod of the Union Cabinet, it will come to Parliament for passage.

The Centre is likely to hold a Special Session of Parliament towards the last week of January, when it can pass the Telangana Bill, as well as the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill, which is the latest priority of the Centre, after the passing of the Lokpal Bill.