LS: Section 377 Amendment Bill Defeated; Compulsory Voting Debated
Will the logjam in Parliament continue? Follow The Quint’s live blog for the latest from today’s session.
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Lok Sabha Adjourned
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day as the amendment bill to section 377 was defeated and the compulsory voting bill was discussed till the House was adjourned for the day.
Both the Houses stand adjourned till December 21, 2015.
Shashi Tharoor Will Try to Introduce Amendment to Section 377 Again
Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor will try to introduce the bill proposing amendment to the Section 377 to decriminalise consensual sex between two consenting adults, according to NDTV.
Tharoor claims to have been informed about the bill’s introduction in the Lower House moments before the proceedings and there was no time to rally support for his legislation.
The bill was defeated as 71 MPs voted against it and 24 for it.
Shashi Tharoor’s Bill on Decriminalising Consensual Sex Defeated In Lok Sabha
Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor had introduced a bill in the Lower House to decriminalise consensual sex between consenting adults. the bill was voted down by 71 MPs and supported by 24 MPs.
His Legislative Plan Was To
- Redefine the 1870 “sedition” law to include only words and actions that are a direct incitement to violence.
- Introduce a refugee and asylum law that will reflect the leading role India has played in sheltering those fleeing persecution.
- Amend Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises consensual sexual acts between consenting adults.
Read about the Private Member’s Bill introduced by Shashi Tharoor on The Quint.
Amendment to 377 Bill Defeated; Compulsory Voting Discussed Instead
The Private Member’s Bill session is being discussed in the Lower House of the Parliament.
Shashi Tharoor introduced an amendment bill to 377 but he was snubbed by the Chair, Ramen Deka, and the House members as well – 71:24.
Another MP NK Premchandran tried to speak in support of the amendment. However, he was snubbed as well and BJP member Doctor Nasihlal Mahto of Korba was allowed to speak for compulsory voting.
All Party Meet Sucessful
The all party meet called by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has ended.
After the meeting, the parties have decided to let the Rajya Sabha function starting Monday.
Members have also decided to pass six bills in the remaining period of Rajya Sabha of the winter session.
However, the members failed to reach a consensus on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 21 December.
The Congress party has called all MPs to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Headquarters for a meeting at 12.30 pm tomorrow over the National Herald case.
58 Rajya Sabha MPs have given notice for the impeachment of Gujarat High Court Judge JP Pardiwala for his alleged remarks against reservation.
Peeved Lok Sabha Speaker Directs Officials to Note Down Names of Protesting Members
Exasperated by their continued protests, peeved Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan directed her officials to note down the names of Congress members standing in the Well raising slogans against the government.
As the House entered Question Hour, Congress members trooped into the Well, raising slogans and clapping to drown the voices of members asking questions and ministers replying to them. As the din continued, the Speaker said members who want to raise issues should at least give “substantive” notice.
The Speaker then directed the Lok Sabha secretariat officials to note down the names of Congress members — about 30 — standing in the Well as they have “broken rules.” Amid continued uproar, the House continued with Question Hour.
During the Monsoon Session, 25 Congress MPs were suspended by the Speaker for five consecutive sittings for disrupting proceedings.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2.30 pm over the Arunachal issue.
Rjya Sabha adjourned till 12.38 pm over the Arunachal issue.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12.00 noon over the Arunachal issue.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that all decisions taken by the Arunchal assembly have been kept in abeyance.
On Wednesday, the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution to ‘impeach’ Speaker Nabam Rebia by a voice vote. The resolution signatured consent of 33 members, including 20 rebel Congress MLAs, 11 from the BJP and two independents. The vote was boycotted by supporters of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
Parliament was repeatedly disrupted on Thursday as the Congress created an uproar over the “alarming” developments in Arunachal Pradesh, alleging efforts to “destabilise” its government there. The Central government asserted that it had no role in it.
In the Lok Sabha, the matter was raised by Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge who said there was a “constitutional crisis” in Arunachal Pradesh and accused the BJP of creating a divide among the Congress MLAs in the state. “What is happening in Arunachal Pradesh is undemocratic, unconstitutional. They are killing democracy, destroying democracy...,” Kharge said.
Uproar in the Rajya Sabha
Vice President Hamid Ansari has called for an all party meet at 2.30 pm today to discuss the logjam in Parliament.
The logjam in the Rajya Sabha has drawn widespread criticism. Ansari, the ex-officio chairman of the Upper House, is seeking more powers to take errant members to task.
Yesterday, Ansari urged the Rules Committee of the House to frame new rules, similar to those granted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, allowing the presiding officer to throw out members responsible for disrupting proceedings.
The issues that were raised for discussion yesterday in the Lok Sabha were:
- The call drop problem faced by mobile users: TMC leader Sudip Bandhyopadhyay wanted urgent government action to stop the problem of call drops, saying it has been worsening by the day.
- Y V Subba Reddy (YSRCP) made a strong plea for granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh saying that it was needed for the overall development of the state in the wake of its division. Telangana Rashtra Samiti MP A P Jithender Reddy said he would welcome such a move, but called for the same status to be given to the newly-carved Telangana too.
- BJP MP Kirron Kher made a strong plea for a fair deal to pedesterians, contending that among road users they remain a neglected lot.
With as many as 9.6 crore senior citizens and 2.6 crore disabled, the need for pedesterian-friendly road services was urgent, she said.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha saw frequent adjournments over the inability to come to a consensus over numerous issues.
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