Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday called on the members of the Upper House of Parliament to raise the productivity bar, asserting that rulings made by the chair should be respected.

Addressing Rajya Sabha on the third day of the winter session of Parliament, Dhankhar stressed the importance of adhering to the traditions of the House.

“A ruling of the chair requires deference and not the cause of differences. This being a historic day of the very first day of the fourth quarter of the century of adoption of the Indian Constitution, let us raise the productivity bar, let us generate an atmosphere that we exemplify by discussion, dialogue, deliberations and adherence to rules,” the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.

Addressing the Members, Dhankhar reiterated his earlier statements about the significance of upholding the dignity of the Rajya Sabha, calling it the “House of Elders” and the “Upper House” of Parliament.

“As I have reiterated on several occasions, I thought it wise to bestow focused attention given the situation that we are entering the last quarter of the century of adoption of the Constitution of India. Therefore, I emphasise that this House, the House of Elders, the Upper House, and the Council of States need to reflect and follow well-established traditions that a ruling of the chair requires deference and not the cause of differences,” he said.

“I have given out in detail as to why in this situation the notices are not being accepted. As a matter of fact, I took the house in confidence in making the House aware that if you look at the journey of this house with reference to Rule 267, even for the last 30 years where we have had various political dispensations in authority and in governance, the number was never beyond a single digit. And the background every time reflected a consensual approach, a dialogue between the parties,” Dhankhar said.

“Keeping everything in mind while not being able to lend my concurrence to these notices, I would appeal to the Members of this House: this being a historic day of the very first day of the fourth quarter of the century of adoption of the Indian Constitution, let us raise the productivity bar, let us generate an atmosphere that we exemplify by discussion, dialogue, deliberations and adherence to rules,” he said.

“All these issues, Honourable Members, there will be occasion to raise in accordance with rules. Since there is a provision in the rules to raise these issues in one form or another by motions that are provided, these notices are being declined,” he added.

Amid huge ruckus over the Opposition’s demand to discuss Adani indictment issue, Rajya Sabha was adjourned early again on the third day of the winter session of Parliament.

This comes after the Opposition MPs in the morning moved the notices for an adjournment motion in both the lower and upper houses to raise issues related to Manipur, the Adani indictment and the ongoing violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal.

In Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala had given a suspension of business notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue of the indictment of Gautam Adani.

“I hereby give notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to move the following motion for the suspension of business listed for November 27, 2024. That this House suspends all scheduled business to discuss the serious revelations in a US court indictment alleging that the Adani Group engaged in bribery of state officials to secure power supply agreements through SECl tenders,” the notice read.