The first phase of the Budget session of Parliament, which saw the passage of the historic Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha and a lot of heat on inflation, came to an end on March 16.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, which began with the address by President Pratibha Patil to the joint sitting on February 22, witnessed acrimony for days on the issue of price rise, nearing almost double-digit mark.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the General Budget for 2010-11 on February 26. After heated debates in both Houses, the first leg of the budget making process was completed with the passage of the appropriation bills which allow government to withdraw money from the exchequer for some parts of the next fiscal.

Though the Women's Reservation Bill, requiring Constitutional amendment, was passed by the Upper House, it could not be introduced in the Lok Sabha in view of strong opposition from RJD, Samajwadi Party and sections of JD(U).

The government managed to get the Women's Bill - a dream agenda of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi - passed in Rajya Sabha after seven opposing members were marshalled out.

In the wake of strident criticism by the opposition, the government dropped at the eleventh hour introduction in the Lok Sabha of a bill that seeks to cap liability in case of nuclear accidents. Passage of this Bill was considered important for the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuke deal.

The Rajya Sabha had scheduled sittings on two more days, but adjourned till April 12 when the two Houses will meet after the recess, during which Parliamentary Standing Committees will examine the demands for grants of various ministries.