Parliament's monsoon session likely in second week of Sept

The monsoon session of Parliament is likely to be convened around the second week of September, at the time when the India-United States nuclear agreement is expected to go through all the processes including the final voting by the American Congress.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs is expected to take a decision on the matter next week, amid indications from the government as also the Congress that there is no hurry to convene the session.

The CCPA had met last week but had not decided upon the schedule of Parliament and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi had indicated recently that the session could be around second week of September.

                                        Why the UPA wants to delay the monsoon session

"May be September," Congress media department chairman M Veerappa Moily today said when asked by reporters about the timing of the monsoon session.

He, however, denied suggestions that the government was shying away from holding the session.

The Bush administration has already conveyed to the US Congress that the 123 agreement may be presented to it for an 'up-down vote' immediately after it re-convenes on September 8 after a summer break.

                                                  Coverage: The Indo-US Nuclear Agreement    

If the 123 agreement is not taken up during the session, that is likely to end on September 19, there will be a window of opportunity available in the form of a brief 'lame-duck' session in December.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already assured Parliament that he would come back to the House after all the processes – International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards agreement, waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group and approval by the US Congress-- for the implementation of the deal are completed.

                                              US lawmaker opposes NSG exemption for India

The Nuclear Suppliers Group will be meeting on August 21 and 22 in Vienna to consider the waiver for India.

With time running out to complete the deal, the government is making all efforts to expedite the processes for which it is undertaking massive lobbying campaign among the NSG countries.

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has been demanding an early convening of the session and had warned against any delay. So is the case of the Left parties.

                                          'BJP opposed the N-deal for the sake of opposing'