LS condoles MP's demise, proceeds with Budget

The Lok Sabha on Thursday condoled the death of BJP member from Maharashtra Chintaman Wanaga and then proceeded with the Budget presentation.

As soon as the House met for the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out the obituary reference, and added that the House should have been adjourned for the day but could not be in view of the Budget presentation.

"Honourable Members, as per the well settled convention in the event of death of a sitting member, the House is adjourned for the day without transacting any other business as a mark of respect after the obituary reference," she said after reading out the condolence message.

"Keeping in view this convention, I would have adjourned the House for the day, however, today's sitting has been specifically fixed by the honourable President for presentation of the Union Budget for the financial year 2018-19, which you are all well aware, is a Constitutional obligation," the Speaker said.

However, Mahajan announced the House would not sit on Friday as a mark of respect to the deceased MP.

Wanaga, a three-time MP, passed away in New Delhi on Tuesday. He was 67. There were no sittings of Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In 2017, the government went ahead with the Budget presentation despite the demise of former Union Minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E. Ahamed, who had collapsed during the President's address to the joint sitting of the two Houses.

--IANS

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