Bill to amend SPG Act likely to come up in Rajya Sabha next week

The bill to amend the SPG Act and the legislation to provide ownership rights to people in unauthorised colonies of Delhi are likely to come up for discussion in Rajya Sabha next week.

The upper House of Parliament recorded productivity of 84 per cent during the second week of winter session with the House creating a record as all listed 15 starred questions were orally answered twice.

The bill to amend SPG Act and on ownership rights to unauthorised colonies have already been passed by Lok Sabha.

"The Upper House is likely to take up next week the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Merger Bill and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies Bills, all passed by the Lok Sabha," an official release said.

The SPG amendment bill says that Special Protection Group will provide security to the Prime Minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence. The bill also provides that SPG will give security to former Prime Minister and his immediate family members residing with him at the residence allotted to him for five years from the date he ceases to hold the office.

During the second week, Rajya Sabha members availed 22 hours and 15 minutes in transacting business. Of the scheduled available time of 26 hours 29 minutes, 5 hours and 45 minutes were lost due to disruption on the first working day of the second week due to Maharashtra developments.

The members, however, made up 1.31 hours by sitting beyond the scheduled time.

All the listed 15 starred questions were orally answered twice during the week setting a new record.

Of total 60 starred questions listed for four working days, a total of 43 accounting for 71.66 per cent of total were orally answered.

The Question Hour could not be taken up on the first day of the week as the House had to be adjourned by Chairman with the opposition insisting on a discussion on the Maharashtra Governor's role even as Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu gave a detailed ruling on rules and earlier rulings of the Chair not permitting the same.

Question Hour was not scheduled on the second day of the week on account of a joint sitting of the members of both Houses to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India.

Members of Rajya Sabha made a record 51 Zero Hour submissions and 30 special mentions on various issues of public importance.

The House also discussed the economic situation in the country for four-and-a-half hours though as per rules only two-and-a-half-hour discussion is allowed under the instrument of short duration discussion.

In a meeting of leaders, Naidu complimented the spirited discussion and the reply by the Finance Minister even as he urged the opposition not to disturb any minister during the reply. The House also took up the Pegasus spyware issue under Calling Attention Notice.

Rajya Sabha also passed two bills - The Transgender (Protection of Rights) Bill and The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill. Discussion on the bill seeking to replace the ordinance banning e-cigarettes remained inconclusive.