NEW DELHI:
Parliament failed to transact any business for the 19th consecutive day on Tuesday as the budget session headed for a complete washout with just three working days left. Speaker
Sumitra Mahajan adjourned Lok Sabha due to
protests by AIADMK members seeking early constitution of the
Cauvery water management board.
Mahajan urged the MPs to take their seats so that she could do the headcount for the noconfidence motion. However, she adjourned it for the day after heated arguments among ruling and opposition party leaders. "I am duty bound to place the no-confidence motion. I am sorry. Please go to your seats. I have to do a head count. I have not been able to take up notices on the no-confidence motion," Mahajan said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar reiterated that the government was ready for a discussion but blamed Congress for chaos in the House. However, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia said 50 party members had signed notice and the party is ready for a debate.
Rajya Sabha too was adjourned soon after newly-elected members took oath as opposition MPs, including from Congress and TMC, trooped into the well raising slogans in support of their demands.
