Speaker holds all-party luncheon meet for smooth parliament functioning

While it is a customary meeting before the budget session starts, the gathering of all the political leaders assumes significance as the speaker is likely to convey how important it is for normalcy to be restored. The modalities for setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the 2G spectrum scam is likely to figure in the talks.

Earlier, at a pre-session press conference Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters that the government will in a day or two take a decision on the issue of a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

With the government ready for a JPC probe, now talks are being held on when to announce the decision, as well as the composition of the committee.

The 23-day winter session in November-December last year was virtually washed out as the opposition party members persistently protested, demanding a JPC into the 2G spectrum scam.

Research groups have calculated that the national exchequer suffered a loss of Rs.171 crore due to the disruption of parliamentary work in the winter session.