The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the 20th consecutive day on Wednesday due to protests by AIADMK members seeking early constitution of the Cauvery water management board.
Soon after the House met to take up the day’s business, AIADMK members trooped into the Well and raised slogans seeking immediate constitution of the board.
As pandemonium prevailed, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon after AIADMK members ignored her requests to return to their seats.
At noon, even before the House was re-assembled, AIADMK members carrying placards trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans such as ‘we want justice’ and ‘we demand Cauvery board’.
After the listed papers were laid, Congress, NCP, Left, TDP and RJD members were standing at their seats seeking the Speaker’s ruling on notices they had given on the no- confidence motion, moved by some of them.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan appealed to AIADMK members to return to their seats, saying she cannot take up notices on the no-confidence motion unless the House is in order.
“I am duty bound to place the no-confidence motion. 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,” she said.
As the unrelenting AIADMK members continued their sloganeering, the Speaker said that she was not in a position to take up notices for no-confidence motion and announced adjournment of the House for the day.
Citing assembly polls in Karnataka, the Centre had last week sought more time from the Supreme Court to set up the Cauvery water management board to implement water sharing formula among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.