Parliament: Both Houses adjourned for the day after Opposition uproar on rising fuel prices
The Lok, Rajya Sabhas saw multiple adjournments due to protests from the Opposition.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday was adjourned for the day after Opposition MPs began shouting slogans against the fuel prices in the country. The Lok Sabha also saw multiple adjournments due to protests from the Opposition. The Lower House will resume at 11 am on Tuesday.
Monday was the first day of the second leg of the Budget Session. However, the session which was scheduled to end on April 8, may be curtailed as leaders from various parties have requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu, in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The first leg of the Budget Session began on January 29 and concluded two days before schedule on February 13. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on February 1.
The government is likely to give priority to the passage of the Finance Bill for the current fiscal, which carries several tax proposals. Apart from that, government business includes consideration and passage of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, Electricity (Amendment) Bill and Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill.
Here are the day’s updates:
7.31 pm: The Lok Sabha resumes for a brief period, but gets adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday after Opposition MPs continue protests.
5.30 pm: Lok Sabha proceedings will begin from 11 am from March 11, instead of 4 pm, reports The Hindu.
5.20 pm: Lok Sabha is adjourned till 7 pm as Opposition members shout slogans about the rise in fuel prices, reports ANI.
4.20 pm: The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 5 pm after reconvening briefly for a tribute to sitting MPs, reports The Hindu.
3.43 pm: Nearly 145 Lok Sabha MPs from election-bound states request Speaker Om Birla to curtail the Budget session, The Hindu reports, citing unidentified officials.
1.44 pm: Before the House was adjourned, in chair Vandana Chavan announced that the chairperson has decided that from March 9, the Rajya Sabha will commence at the usual timings of the House, from 11 am till 6 pm, reports ANI. Members will be seated in the Rajya Sabha, she said.
1.38 pm: The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day, reports The Hindu. Proceedings will resume at 11 am on Tuesday.
11.26 am: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asks MPs to attend the Parliament, according to PTI.
“I am told they are in Delhi but they are not present in the House,” says Naidu. “I appeal to all the members, please make it a point to be in the House and then observe debates, enrich your knowledge.”
11.23 am: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh adjourns Upper House till 1 pm, after Congress MPs continued to demand a discussion on fuel price rise and raised slogans, reports ANI.
“You are aware that the ruling of the Chairman can’t be reopened...It can’t be discussed,” says Harivansh, referring to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu’s decisilon of not allowling the discussion.
10.24 am: Shortly before the House was adjourned, Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu warned against unruly behaviour, saying he did not want to “take any drastic action on the first day” of the proceedings, reports ANI.
10.23 am: The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 11 am after Congress MPs began shouting slogans in the House, demanding answers from the government for the rising fuel prices in the country.
9.13 am: BJP MP Sonal Mansingh gives Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over “demand to celebrate International Womens’ Day and consider serious issues affecting women”, reports ANI.
9.10 am: Trinamool Congress writes to Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman, seeking adjournment of second leg of Budget session, citing Assembly elections, reports ANI.
9.08 am: Second leg of Budget session begins with reconvening of Rajya Sabha, ANI reports.
9.05 am: The Congress will move an adjournment motion demanding a debate on the rising fuel prices in both Houses of Parliament, on the first day of the second part of the Budget session, The Hindu reports.
9.01 am: The government’s priority in the Parliament session will be to complete the Budget process, The Indian Express reports, quoting Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan.
“However, the Prime Minister has already said that the government is ready for discussion on anything,” Muraleedharan says.
8.59 am: The second leg of the Budget session is likely to be curtailed as many MPs will be unavailable due to their campaigning commitments in the upcoming Assembly elections, reports the Hindustan Times.
8.58 am: Second leg of Budget session of the Parliament to begin today. The first leg of the Budget Session began on January 29 and concluded two days before schedule on February 13. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on February 1.