Pending bills: Ministers brief Lok Sabha Speaker

Flurry of activities have begun in New Delhi just before the Budget session, with approval of President Pratibha Patil's speech to the joint session and that of discussion of 30 pending Bills.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had a brief meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on salient features of the Budget.

Mukherjee also met the President to brief her on her speech to the joint session.

Union home minister P Chidambaram and minister for law and justice Veerappa Moily briefed Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohd Hamid Ansari about the proposed Bills which will be introduced at the Budget session of the Parliament starting Februray 22.

P Chidambaram paid a courtesy call to the Rajya Sabha chairman and briefed him about the political situation in the country as also about the Pune blast. He also conveyed to him the government's intention to bring a Bill on National Counter Terrorism Centre.

Moily briefed the presiding officers of both the Houses about the importance of judges' inquiry Bill and sought a raise of retirement age of the Chief Justice of India.