The government today dropped its plans to bring the controversial land acquisition bill in Lok Sabha and has decided to take it up next week amid talks that it could be referred to joint committee of Parliament. The bill was last night listed for being taken up in the House today.

However, this morning it was removed from the list of business. With the NDA yet to resolve the issue of adequate numbers in Rajya Sabha to pass the bill as most non-NDA parties remaining opposed to it, the goverment is moving cautiously on the issue.

"It's a suggestion," a senior Union minister said when asked about the possibility of referring the land bill to a joint committee of Parliament after introduction. The government earlier had plans to bring the bill in Lok Sabha today as it was seeking to give another push to the controversial bill despite not having the numbers in the Upper House.

The bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha in March, could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha following which the related Ordinance had to be re-promulgated after proroguing the Upper House. A copy of the re-promulgated ordinance was placed in the Lok Sabha on April 20 and in Rajya Sabha on April 23, the opening days of both the Houses in the second phase of the budget session.