Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on July 20 as Opposition parties continued to protest over the issue of price rise. The Lower House alone discussed some issues under Rule 377 before adjourning for the day. The Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha have failed to transact any significant business so far since the Monsoon Session began on July 18.
Meanwhile, the BJP took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress leader may have been “unproductive politically” but he should not try to curb the legislature’s productivity.
The second day of the Monsoon session of Parliament also had to be adjourned without any substantial business transpiring as both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on July 19 witnessed disruptions and protests over price rise and the newly imposed goods and services tax (GST) on essential commodities.
Tune into The Hindu’s Parliament Watch podcast on day 2 of the Monsoon Session here
The House had witnessed similar disruptions on the first day of the Monsoon Session. Amid slogan-shouting by the Opposition MPs, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar moved the WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022.
24 bills listed for introduction in Monsoon Session of Parliament, check full list here
Here are the live updates:
Lok Sabha adjourns for the day
Lok Sabha adjourns for the day briefly after resuming. Midhun Reddy, in the Chair, appealed to the protesting Opposition members to remain seated in the chair. However, the sloganeering continued and Mr. Reddy announced the house adjourns to reconvene at 11 a.m. on July 21, 2022.
Lok Sabha resumes amid Opposition sloganeering
Proceedings resume in the Lok Sabha with the Opposition members continuing their sloganeering. Members speak on matters of urgent public hearing.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 PM
Amid continued sloganeering, Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 4 p.m.
Matter under rule 377 being heard
Members of Parliament across India raise issues plaguing their respective constituencies as the Lok Sabha is hearing matters under Rule 377. This rule allows MPs to raise issue which cannot be raised under the rules relating to Questions, Short Notice Questions, Calling Attention, Motions etc.
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day
The Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman has once again adjourned the proceedings of the House amid sloganeering. The Upper House will now assemble at 11 a.m. on July 21.
Lok Sabha resumes for the day
Lok Sabha resumes for the day. Opposition MPs continue sloganeering demanding rollback of recently imposed GST on many products and demand debate on inflation.
Rajya Sabha resumes, sloganeering continues
The Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman has strongly objected to members recording videos inside the House. Meanwhile, sloganeering continues against the Centre.
Govt obstinacy reason for dent in Parliament proceedings: Congress on demand for discussion on GST hike
The Congress on July 20 alleged the Parliament’s functioning is being affected because of the government’s obstinacy to not allow the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on hike in GST on food items.
Congress General Secretary and Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition has been demanding an urgent discussion on inflation and hike in GST rates but is being denied.
Opposition parties protest against GST hike, raise slogans against govt in Parliament premises
Opposition parties on July 20 staged a protest in Parliament premises against inflation and the hike in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on certain commodities of daily use.
Leaders of Opposition parties including the Congress, NCP, DMK and Left raised slogans against the government demanding a roll back of the hike in GST rates on commodities like curd, bread and paneer.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and others were present during the protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament premises. - PTI
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 p.m.
Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House proceedings until 2.00 p.m. as uproar by Opposition MPs over issues like GST and price rise continued in the Lok Sabha on the third consecutive day and affected the House proceedings. Speaker Om Birla urged the MPs, who had come near his chair to raise slogans and show placards, to let the House function and utilise it for productive discussions.
The Speaker also assured the MPs multiple times that he will allow a discussion on these issues during the Zero Hour if they returned to their seats. “I am giving you a chance to return to your seats and will allow a discussion on your issues after the Question Hour,” Mr. Birla said.
“I am giving you this chance once, I will not do it again if you continued this.”
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 p.m.
Rajya Sabha proceedings in the pre-lunch session on July 20 were washed out without transacting any business after opposition parties led by the Congress continued to protest over price rise and levy of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on daily essentials.
While Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said he has allowed a discussion on the issue of price rise, the Opposition parties insisted that it be held immediately after setting aside the agenda of the day.
As the Opposition members began trooping into the well of the House holding packets of milk and curd, on which a 5% GST tax was effected from July 18, Mr. Naidu adjourned the proceedings till 2 p.m.
Proceedings resume in Lok Sabha
Proceedings resumed in Lok Sabha amid Opposition sloganeering. Speaker Om Birla assured the Opposition MPs that he will allow a discussion on the issues raised by them in the Zero Hour. Question Hour is currently under way.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Congress must clear its intentions whether it wants productive discussions on the issues it is raising or just wants to create uproar in the House.
P.T. Usha takes oath as MP in Rajya Sabha
As proceedings began on the third day of the Monsoon Session in the Rajya Sabha, legendary athlete P.T. Usha, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Central Government, took oath as MP on July 20.
Ms. Usha, along with renowned composer Ilaiyaraaja, screenwriter V. Vijayendra Prasad and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade, was nominated to the Upper House of Parliament by the government in what was seen as part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) outreach to southern India.
Rahul Gandhi may be unproductive politically but shouldn’t try to curb Parliament’s productivity: BJP
With Opposition’s protests on price rise disrupting Parliament proceedings, the BJP on July 20 took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress leader may have been “unproductive politically” but he should not try to curb the legislature’s productivity.
Parliament’s Monsoon Session has seen little business since it started on Monday due to opposition members, including from the Congress, disrupting its proceedings over issues like fresh GST on certain food items and price rise in general.
The government and the Opposition have accused each other of running away from debate on critical issues facing the country. - PTI
List of business:
In the Rajya Sabha, the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022, will be taken up for consideration and passing.
The Bill, already passed in the Lok Sabha, amends the WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005 which prohibits the unlawful manufacture, transport, or transfer of WMD (chemical, biological and nuclear weapons) and their means of delivery. It is popularly referred to as the WMD Act.
List of business:
The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, is listed for discussion in the Lok Sabha today. Introduced by Union Science Minister, Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha in April, the Bill envisages regulating visits and activities to Antarctica as well as potential disputes that may arise among those present on the continent.
It also prescribes penal provisions for certain serious violations. If the Bill were to become law, private tours and expeditions to Antarctica would be prohibited without a permit or the written authorisation by a member country. A member country is one of the 54 signatories of the Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959 — India joined the Treaty System in 1983.
Running away from discussion in Parliament on price rise, GST hike ‘unparliamentary’: Rahul
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on July 19 attacked the government over the issues of price rise, hike in GST rates and depreciating value of the rupee and alleged that it is “unparliamentary” on the part of the prime minister to not answer questions and run away from a discussion in Parliament.
He also alleged that no matter how much the prime minister tries to silence the Opposition by declaring many words as “unparliamentary”, he will have to answer on these issues. The senior Congress leader was referring to a recent booklet brought by Lok Sabha Secretariat listing out certain words as unparliamentary for use in Parliament. - PTI
Will the new ‘unparliamentary’ words affect freedom of expression in Parliament? | In Focus podcast
Presidential polls ballot boxes handed over to RS
The polled ballot box and other materials related to the Presidential election held on Monday in the Puducherry Assembly were on Tuesday handed over to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The sealed materials were handed over in Delhi by R. Mounissamy, Assistant Returning Officer and B. Thillaivel, Deputy CEO.
During the secret ballot exercise, the 30 legislators, including Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Speaker R. Selvam, Ministers, and a Member of Parliament had cast their vote in the Assembly while the Union Territory’s sole Rajya Sabha MP had exercised his franchise in the Parliament.
Indians’ inclination to radical ideologies is miniscule: MHA in Lok Sabha
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that global terrorist groups and foreign agencies have been making efforts to radicalise people, however, “inclination towards radical ideologies is minuscule” as compared to the population of the country.
In a written answer, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the government has made efforts to stop the inclination to radical ideologies owing to various factors, and the efforts by the government include “promotion of composite culture and coexistence among various communities” and “constitutional safeguards to minorities”.
Parliamentary panel flags low ridership, need for unified Metro law
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs on Tuesday flagged the need for a single and comprehensive legislation for all the Metro rail networks in the country as opposed to the existing three Central Acts, and also raised the concerns about the low ridership in all Metros apart from Delhi and Mumbai.
Speaker Om Birla names Rahul Shewale as Shiv Sena leader in Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday named rebel Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale as the leader of the party in the Lower House of Parliament. The decision was notified late in the night through a circular issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Following the revolt of Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra last month, the party’s Lok Sabha group was split wide open on Tuesday after 12 of the party’s 19 Lok Sabha MPs moved over to the rebel Shinde camp, dealing another body blow to Uddhav Thackeray’s dwindling Sena faction.
