Highlights
NEW DELHI: In a significant success, the Modi government beat its Rajya Sabha "jinx" on Thursday with the RTI (Amendment) Bill being passed without a division after an anticipated test of numbers petered out with the opposition choosing to walk out after the headcount tilted towards the NDA. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Monday.
Clearing the Upper House hurdle was important for the NDA as its lack of majority led to several bills passed by the Lok Sabha being stalled in the Rajya Sabha during the previous Modi government. The smooth sailing on the contentious RTI vote is a boost ahead of the bill seeking to make triple talaq punishable being brought to the Rajya Sabha even though the legislation will present a sterner test.
Passage of the RTI amendments is a political and policy win for the government as the bill drew flak from former information commissioners, transparency activists and the opposition for "diluting and downgrading" the Central Information Commission. But the opposition challenge did not materialise with a clutch of regional parties, including BJD, TRS and YSR Congress coming to the government's aid.
The Upper House passed the bill by voice vote after an opposition-sponsored motion to send it to a select committee for greater scrutiny was negated. The motion was turned down with 117 members voting against and BJP finally garnering the support of BJD, TRS and YSR Congress. Only 75 members voted in favour of sending the bill to the select committee.
With numbers swinging towards the NDA, Congress, Trinamool Congress and DMK staged a walkout alleging "intimidation" to manipulate votes. They claimed that TDP's breakaway MP CM Ramesh was seen collecting voting slips from MPs which he should not have done.
Through the day, there were sharp exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition with the latter sticking to its demand for sending the bill for further scrutiny and forcing four adjournments. The bill does away with information commissioners being granted equivalence with the chief election commissioner and SC judges. It also gives the government powers to set terms and salaries. On its part, the government argued that the RTI law's provisions as regards its powers remained untouched.
The passage of the bill may mean a more favourable pitch for the government for the more challenging Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, commonly known as the triple talaq bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Interestingly, BJD supported the bill while JD(U) walked out.
This might mean a lower majority threshold in the Rajya Sabha to the government's advantage. The opposition said the proposed changes in the RTI bill would weaken the existing law.
Clearing the Upper House hurdle was important for the NDA as its lack of majority led to several bills passed by the Lok Sabha being stalled in the Rajya Sabha during the previous Modi government. The smooth sailing on the contentious RTI vote is a boost ahead of the bill seeking to make triple talaq punishable being brought to the Rajya Sabha even though the legislation will present a sterner test.
Passage of the RTI amendments is a political and policy win for the government as the bill drew flak from former information commissioners, transparency activists and the opposition for "diluting and downgrading" the Central Information Commission. But the opposition challenge did not materialise with a clutch of regional parties, including BJD, TRS and YSR Congress coming to the government's aid.
The Upper House passed the bill by voice vote after an opposition-sponsored motion to send it to a select committee for greater scrutiny was negated. The motion was turned down with 117 members voting against and BJP finally garnering the support of BJD, TRS and YSR Congress. Only 75 members voted in favour of sending the bill to the select committee.
With numbers swinging towards the NDA, Congress, Trinamool Congress and DMK staged a walkout alleging "intimidation" to manipulate votes. They claimed that TDP's breakaway MP CM Ramesh was seen collecting voting slips from MPs which he should not have done.
Through the day, there were sharp exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition with the latter sticking to its demand for sending the bill for further scrutiny and forcing four adjournments. The bill does away with information commissioners being granted equivalence with the chief election commissioner and SC judges. It also gives the government powers to set terms and salaries. On its part, the government argued that the RTI law's provisions as regards its powers remained untouched.
The passage of the bill may mean a more favourable pitch for the government for the more challenging Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, commonly known as the triple talaq bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Interestingly, BJD supported the bill while JD(U) walked out.
This might mean a lower majority threshold in the Rajya Sabha to the government's advantage. The opposition said the proposed changes in the RTI bill would weaken the existing law.
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