Parliament on Monday remained disturbed again due to Opposition protests, although the Lok Sabha adopted an amendment in the Finance Bill, 2023 recommended by the Rajya Sabha, which returned all financial Bills without discussion, during a short sitting in the afternoon.
The two Houses were adjourned till afternoon, just as they sat for the day in the morning. No work could be taken up as the Congress Party-led Opposition protested over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha and shouted slogans for a JPC inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities of the Adani Group of companies.
The Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2 pm, and amidst shouting of slogans by the Congress members in the Well of the House, took up the financial business. As there was no possibility of a discussion in the din, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar took up the financial Bills and declared them returned to the Lok Sabha, after a voice vote.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Finance Bill, 2023 before the House, moved an amendment. The Bill along with the amendment was returned to the Lok Sabha.
Before this, the Upper House returned the Budget of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2023-24, as passed by the Lok Sabha earlier.
The House also returned the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bills for 2022-23 and 2023-24. This was followed by the adoption and return of the Appropriation Bill, 2023 allowing the Central Government to draw money for its expenditure during 2023-24.
The Lok Sabha reassembled for its afternoon sitting at 4 pm and adopted the Finance Bill incorporating the amendment recommended by the Upper House. The House was then adjourned for the day.
The Rajya Sabha had such a stormy start at 11 am that the Chairman could not complete his birthday greeting for a member and adjourned till afternoon.
The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members, wearing black dresses, trooped into the Well of the House, and kept shouting slogans. Members of some other parties including the Trinamool Congress and Left Front, standing at their seats, also wore black dresses.
The Chairman went through the laying of official papers listed for the day. The Bills were put to a voice-vote and returned after Ayes in favour of the Bills. Mr Dhankhar regretted that the members had not availed of the 10 hours of discussion allotted for the financial Bills, and adjourned the House till tomorrow.
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