The Cabinet has deferred bringing out an Ordinance on Food Security. Talking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi this afternoon, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the Bill is ready and the government will like to pass it as a Bill, although the Ordinance version of it is also ready. However, he said, the government will make one more effort to seek Opposition's cooperation for its passage in a specially convened session of Parliament.

Mr Chidambaran said, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and the Food Minister Prof. K V Thomas will make a fresh move to seek the Opposition support in this regard.

Congress has expressed hope that there would be further consensus on the Food Security Bill among all political parties and it would be passed in the coming session of Parliament.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, party Spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said that it will prefer the Food Security Bill is passed by Parliament. He said, however, no option is ruled out in this regard.

BJP President Rajnath Singh today said that Food Security Bill has significance and it should be passed only through legislative process.