January 4, 2018
Derek O’Brien makes a Point of Order on legislative business in Rajya Sabha
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Sir, my Point of Order is under Rule 29, page 12, relating to List of Business. Sir, the last piece of legislative business, which was being conducted in the House yesterday, when the House got adjourned, was the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017.
Sir, give me 20 seconds to recall what the position of the House was then. Two notices were admitted, under Rule 72 and my colleague Sukhendu Sekhar Roy’s notice under Rule 125. We were all set to go for a Division. I will not get into the details, but there was mayhem in the House. The Division could be carried out because there was no order in the House. This is where we were.
Now, my Point of Order is that any further legislative business cannot be taken up in the House unless the pending business is disposed off. The list of legislative business that we received this morning is (in the following order):
The Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill, 2017.
And then, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017
My submission here is, Sir – I know, the Short Duration Discussion is listed now – the next piece of legislative business should be disposing off that Motion.
SECOND INTERVENTION
My limited point is not whether the Chair allowed said Division or did not. My limited point is from that moment, business was stopped. We must resume the business from the point when business was paused. My limited point is, there was a process on. I am not saying who disrupted the House and who did not. My point is, the process has to be completed. The pause button has to be completed. That is all I am saying, Sir.
THIRD INTERVENTION
I have the verbatim record of the proceedings yesterday. The records of page 67-68. The record is here – the exchange between the Deputy Chairman and members of the House. It is stating this, and I am reading it:
MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: I cannot have Division when there is no order. Make them sit. What do I do? …(Interruptions)…
SHRI T. K. RANGARAJAN: Sir, you see the Treasury Benches. …(Interruptions)…
MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: What can I do when there is no order? What can I do? I said that both amendments are valid, but what can I do? …(Interruptions)…
Sir, I don’t think this is an issue on us vs them. For us, the Bill is important. It is for women. It is a faulty Bill and must be examined further. We should continue from where we stopped.
