Lok Sabha to meet on Saturday, Rajya Sabha gets day off

The Lok Sabha will have a sitting on Saturday, despite being a Saturday, notwithstanding strong demands by several members of Parliament, leaders and ministers against it.

Speaker Meira Kumar ruled that the sitting will be held as scheduled and she cannot overturn a decision taken by the Business Advisory Committee.

After Kumar adjourned the House for the day to meet again on Saturday, there was a beeline of MPs and leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav, Basudeb Acharia and Gurudas Dasgupta requesting her to cancel tomorrow's proceedings as they have prior engagements.

They also approached Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, who appeared inclined to their suggestion but pointed that only the Speaker can take a decision.

The Speaker, however, remained firm saying that she can overturn the decision only after taking the sense of the House which cannot meet before on Saturday.

The Food Security Bill, which could not be taken up despite being listed in the Lok Sabha's business since Monday, will come up for discussion and passage now on Monday.

"The House will function tomorrow (Saturday). But a large of members and leaders have stated that they are going to be away... Many members and leaders want to speak on the Food Security Bill," Nath told reporters outside Parliament House.

"So they have requested the Speaker that the Food Security Bill should not be taken up on Saturday, but on Monday. So the Bill will be taken up on Monday," he said.

However, there will be no sitting of the Rajya Sabha on Saturday.