Chairperson announced in #RajyaSabha today morning that he has admitted notice for discussion on #FarmersProtests
[even though he mentioned that he received notices on other issues also]
But as soon as MPs demanded, '#Pegasus, Pegasus', the House was adjourned till 12pm.
#RajyaSabha resumes at 12pm, only to be adjourned again immediately till 2pm.
Doesn't work for even a minute.
#RajyaSabha resumes
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs announces that Supplementary List of Business is issued, Taxation amendment Bill listed
Derek O'Brien objects, states that 30 Bills passed at 10 minutes per Bill, only 11% of Bill scrutinized by Committees, PM answered 0 Qs
Bhupender Yadav, Minister intervenes
Rules also provide that some things shouldn't be said, MPs shouldn't be interrupted, placards shouldn't be raised etc.
Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge objects to sudden list brought, being suddenly asked to discuss Bills #SansadWatch
Kharge continues that Govt lists whichever Bill whenever it wants to but doesn't list discussion on #Pegasus, #FarmersProtest
Presiding Officer rules that any business can be taken up once approved by Chair, so reorder of business is fine
Then #Tribunal Reforms (Amendment) Bill is moved, along with Statutory Resolution against Ordinance
Shakti Sinh Gohil while moving resolution claims that SC had ordered some provisions of Ordinance unconstitutional
Tiruchi Siva also moves motion to send Bill to Committee
Sujeet Kumar, BJD speaks on #Tribunal Reforms Amendment Bill:
- Supports intent of Bill to bring Tribunals to ease burden on courts etc.
- But highlights that Supreme Court had held provisions related to fixed tenure as unconstitutional
- raises concerns on vacancies in tribunals
N. R. Elango, DMK on Tribunal Reforms Bill:
- Oppose Bill
- Through this, Govt shutting down some Tribunals
- Instead demands that a Tribunal be set up to inquire issue of #pegasus.
Protesting MPs cheer.
Dr. Banda Prakash, TRS on Tribunals Reform Bill:
- Quotes some stats on vacancies in courts, pendency of cases
- Demands increase in budget for judiciary
His speech gets drowned in protests.
Meanwhile, MPs trying to insert placards and camera moves away quickly.
M. Thambidurai, AIADMK supports #Tribunal Reforms Bill
Venkataraman Rao Mopidevi, YSRCP speaks, states about Judicial Impact Assessment
Their speeches get drowned in slogans and protests
'Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan'
Meanwhile, placards keep popping up, even as camera quickly shifts.
Jaya Bachchan, SP opposes #Tribunal Reforms Bill
But says that more than that she opposes the fact that opposition isn't being allowed to speak
States that it's not possible to make out which side is the opposition here.
Prof. Manoj Jha, RJD speaks on #Tribunal Reforms Bill
Claims that we are entering 75th year of Independence, but does 'Azaadi' mean that opposition, farmers be treated this way?
Lays rest of his speech on table.
Presiding officer moves to next MP
Sanjay Singh, AAP speaks on #tribunal Reforms Bill
Asks govt why it was harming farmers by 'Adani ki naukri karke' [working for Adani]
Gets cut off, Presiding Officer moves to next MP
Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, TDP on #Tribunal Reforms Bill, supports
Makes suggestion to increase budget for judiciary since after this Bill, burden on judiciary will increase
Binoy Viswam, CPI speaks
States that we come here to raise people's issues, Govt snoops on us, cuts off
Shakti Sinh Gohil, INC, speaks on his statutory resolution
Claims that Tribunal Reforms Ordinance was unconstitutional
Govt should instead set up Tribunal to inquire into #pegasus
Gets cut off
Now, Finance Minister responds.
Nirmala Sitharaman, responds to a point made by INC MP that Ordinance attacks indepence of judiciary [which SC had also said]
Sitharaman says that Congress had suppressed judiciary during emergency, so how can they make that point?
Loud noises from both sides!
Sitharaman argues that we respect independence of judiciary, but House is supreme, our powers can't be curtailed
[In context of reviving a provision which SC had struck down recently in July]
Also claims that SC didn't struck it down on constitutionality, so we are clarifying it.
She concludes her speech.
Statutory Resolution is put to vote, defeated
Motion to send Bill to Standing Committee for review is put to vote.
Then motion to put Bill to vote is called, one MP calls for division, Presiding Officer asks for order.
Division will now happen.
Though it isn't exactly clear which motion is being voted on, but the process of division has started (recorded votes)
The Central University (Amendment) Bill, to set up a central university was passed in 24 minutes, of which Minister himself spoke for 11 minutes. 4 other MPs made short speeches.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, INC on #Constitution (127th) Amendment Bill:
- We had warned Govt in 2018 that states rights were being taken away, but Govt didn't listen. Wasted its time and money in Supreme Court petition
- Govt has majority, so doesn't listen
Chowdhary continues on Constitution #OBCreservation Bill:
- When states started protesting, people started protesting and with an eye on election, you brought this Bill now
- But we also demand that 50% ceiling be removed, approach SC, let states decide
In #LokSabha, Minister moves to introduce the National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and then the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Manish Tewari, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, Prof. Saugata Roy oppose introduction.
Mostly opposition is with respect to manner in which Bills are being introduced, which some MPs argue are in violation of rules and constitution provisions.
Then #Constitution Amendment (127th Amendment) Bill is moved to be introduced.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary states that when the original Constitution amendment was brought in 2018, Opposition had warned Govt that it will take away rights of state but Govt didn't listen
India scores '0/3' on Legislative Leadership at time of #COVID19 in a study by Westminster Foundation for #Democracy, Developmental Leadership Program & Int'l Development Dept at University of Birmingham.
Owing to #Parliament being out of session for most of last year.
12 New Bills are listed for introduction in #MonsoonSession of #Parliament
These are: 1. Multi-State Co-operative Societies Amendment Bill- to rationalize Govt role & members participation in working of multi-state co-op societies 2. Bilateral Netting of #Financial Contracts Bill
3. Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill - to allow #NBFCs, other than NBFC-Factors to undertake Factoring business as well
4. #Pension Fund Regulatory & Devl Authority (Amendment) Bill - Separation of #NPS Trust from #PFRDA, and to provide for #UniversalPension coverage
5. Nat'l Commission for Allied & Healthcare Professionals Bill - set up Central and State Council
6. Assisted #Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill - regulation, supervision of ART Clinic, Banks
7. J&K Official language Bill- for language to be used for official purpose
On this #AprilFoolsDay, recounting some instances from #Parliament which had us fooled in the last one year:
1. Delaying discussing #FinanceBill for almost a week and then passing it without discussion in #LokSabha, because #Parliament had to be shut due to #COVID outbreak
2. On last day of curtailed #BdgetSession in #RajyaSabha, 7 Money Bills were returned in 5 hours, with 2 Appropriation Bills and all 154 clauses and 5 schedules of Finance Bill put to vote together without any discussion and cleared in 5 minutes
3. Sending #DataProtection Bill to specially constituted Joint Parliament Committee headed by a BJP MP instead of already existing Standing Committee headed by an Opposition MP
As recently as on 8th August 2018, Ministry of Home Affairs claimed in #RajyaSabha that data on people from minority communities coming to India on ground of religious persecution from different provinces of Pakistan is not centrally maintained