Rajya Sabha logjam ends but still no consensus on GST Bill
The GST Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha, has been pending in the Upper House.
New Delhi: The Opposition agreed at an all-party meeting on Monday — with three days to go for the Winter Session of Parliament to conclude — to allow the passage of some Bills and to let the Upper House function normally till the current session ends.
The all-party meeting was convened by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to ensure that non-controversial Bills and appropriation bills can be cleared in the Upper House, which has been witnessing adjournments from day one of the Winter Session.
However, the government failed to get any assurance on the crucial Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the hour-long meeting. The GST Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha, has been pending in the Upper House. Speculation is rife that the government will now bring this Bill in the Budget Session.
Sources disclosed it was decided during the meeting that the Upper House would pass the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, Appropriation Bills, the Anti-Hijacking Bill, the Atomic Energy Amen-dment Bill, the Comm-ercial Courts Ordinance Bill, and the Arbitration and Conciliation Ame-ndment Bill by December 23.
Meanwhile, Proceedings of both Houses of Parliament were disrupted on Friday as the Opposition closed ranks and demanded the recall of Arunachal Pradesh governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.
The Rajya Sabha saw three adjournments in the pre-lunch session as the Trinamul and Samajwadi Party staged a walkout over the issue. In the Lok Sabha, Congress members led by Sonia Gandhi staged a walkout protesting against not being allowed to have their say on the issue.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.