Both Houses of Parliament witnessed brief adjournments on several issues including the reported missing files relating to coal block allocations. Members from Andhra Pradesh raised slogans in favour of United Andhra Pradesh. The Lok Sabha was adjourned first for 15 minutes and later till noon with AIADMK and Left Front members raising slogans on the issue of the rising prices of onion. The House was again adjourned till 1 pm and then again till 2 pm. Amidst the din, the government introduced three bills including the Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University Bill, 2013 and the Indira Gandhi National University for Women Bill, 2013.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice, first for ten minutes and then till noon as BJP members continued demanding that the Prime Minister himself must make a statement on the missing files even as Coal Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal was ready with his statement. The House was later adjourned till 2 pm.

Earlier, both the Houses condoled the death of the victims of the Patna-bound Rajya Rani Express in Bihar yesterday.

Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal today assured the Rajya Sabha that his ministry will leave no stone unturned in tracing and providing documents to CBI which is investigating into the alleged rregularities in the allocation of coal blocks. Making a statement amidst opposition demand for Prime Minister’s response on the issue, the minister said all efforts are being made to locate the documents which are not readily available. He said 769 files, folders, application forms, agenda booklets in original have been handed over to CBI. He said if additional documents are called for by the agency, the Ministry will supply them and if any document is not available, it shall make every effort to trace and supply the same to the CBI. The Minister said that he has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee, headed by an Additional Secretary in his ministry to examine and review the non-availability of the files and suggest appropriate action.

Earlier, the House witnessed heated exchanges between treasury and opposition members on whether the Coal Minister, whose name has figured in the scam, can make a statement in the House. To this, Mr.Jaiswal said if his involvement is proved, directly or indirectly, he was ready to face any punishment.

Lok Sabha has since been adjourned till Thursday.