Two more bills passed amid Lok Sabha chaos

NEW DELHI: With ruckus prevailing in Lok Sabha, the government continues getting the nod of the Lower House for legislative bills in record speed. With microphones of the Opposition MPs switched off even if they speak, the government had no problem in getting the House to approve the bills in minutes without any discussion. 

For a brief period when his microphone was on, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the government for the “murder of democracy” by getting the bills passed without discussions in the House. He alleged that the government had not made any serious effort to end the impasse in the Parliament.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed two Bills — The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021 and The Tribunal Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2021. There was no discussion on either of the proposals, with Opposition MPs surrounding the Chair with placards in support of their demands for discussion on the Pegasus issue. 

A number of amendments moved by the Opposition MPs, including NK Premchandran of the RSP, were rejected by the lower House by voice vote while taking up the passage of the Tribunal Amendment Bill. Opposition MPs were heard shouting that the legislation concerned the judiciary and it should be properly discussed.   

Later, Congress MP Manish Tewari alleged that the demand for the division of votes during the process of the passage of the tribunal bill was ignored against the laid down norms.  “What happened at 4 PM in the Lok Sabha was daylight murder of democracy. Opposition wanted a division on the Tribunal Bill, for it encroaches on the domain of judiciary. It’s the right of every member to ask for a vote. The demand was not heeded and the important legislation was passed in the din,” alleged Tewari.