NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over subversion of rules in the upper house, floor leaders of the opposition parties in Rajya Sabha are expected to meet Tuesday morning and discuss the issue. They will also bat for sending key Bills to standing committee for scrutiny.
Leaders of the opposition parties are scheduled to meet at the office of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha at 9.45 am, said an opposition leader, adding, after discussion they may take it up with Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu.
During the debate on the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019, many members said that enough time was not provided to them to move amendments. The Bill was passed.
Raising a point of order, TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar said according to a rule (130), members should be given two working days to move amendments on a Bill but this Bill was transmitted to Rajya Sabha from Lok Sabha only after Friday (July 19) 5 pm. The TMC staged a walk out when the Bill was passed.
“Members have been deprived of their rights to move the amendment. The question is about rights of members and subversion of rules,” said Sekhar.
Azad also raised the matter of procedures not being followed in the house. However, BJP MP Bhupinder
Yadav informed the house that it was decided that amendments could be moved till 12 noon and one such amendment was moved and also circulated.
The opposition leaders also are expressed concerns over Bills being passed without scrutiny. “12 Bills passed with zero scrutiny. Trinamool will not allow democracy to be smothered,” tweeted TMC leader Derek O’Brien.