Parliament adjourned again, but Lok Sabha transacts financial business (Third Lead)
By IANSWednesday, December 1, 2010
NEW DELHI - Parliament was adjourned for the 14th consecutive day Wednesday, but the Lok Sabha managed to pass the supplementary demands for grants for 2010-11 by a voice vote amid slogan shouting by opposition members demanding a parliamentary probe into the 2G spectrum allotment of 2008.
After the Lok Sabha met at 12 noon following an adjournment earlier, opposition members rushed to the well of the house demanding the constitution of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC). Speaker Meira Kumar went ahead with the business listed for the day amid the din.
While papers listed for the day were laid on the table of the house, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily introduced the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010.
The bill seeks to lay down judicial standards and provide for accountability of judges and establish credible and expedient mechanism for investigating individual complaints of misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge of the Supreme Court or of a high court and to regulate the procedure of such investigation.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee moved the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2010-11 and the relevant Appropriation Bills which were passed by a voice vote even as the opposition members continued shouting slogans in favour of their demand for JPC.
The appropriation bills authorise payment and appropriation of money from the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2010-11 and to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ending March 31, 2009 in excess of amounts granted for those services and for that year.
Earlier, the proceedings began in the Lok Sabha with the speaker reading out an obituary refrence for former union minister Mahabir Prasad, who died in the Ganga Ram Hospital Nov 29.
Immediately after the one-minute silence, opposition MPs were on their feet, raising slogans of “We want JPC”. Within a couple of minutes, the speaker adjourned the house till noon.
In the Rajya Sabha too, opposition members continued to press for their demand for a JPC. The house was first adjourned till noon and then for the day.
The question hour was taken up in the Lok Sabha only Nov 9 when the winter session began. In the Rajya Sabha, the crucial question hour was never taken up due to continuing opposition protests.
