Rajya Sabha adjourned for day after repeated disruptions

The Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned repeatedly as opposition members protested delay in filling up of vacancies in the statutory commissions for minorities, SCs, STs and OBCs. The upper house was finally adjourned for the day.

Soon after the house assembled for the day, the proceedings were adjourned first for 10 minutes till 11.25 a.m. as opposition members raised the issue of delay in filling up of vacancies.

When the house reconvened, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the process for filling vacancies was on. However, opposition members continued their protest and the house was adjourned for the second time till noon.

Later, it was adjourned for the third time till 12.30 p.m, and again for the fourth time till 2 p.m.

When the house met after lunch, the opposition members demanded a discussion under Rule 267 on the topic and sought an assurance from the government to fill up the vacancies within a week.

However, the Chair did not accept any of the four notices given under Rule 267.

But the opposition members insisted on a discussion and trooped to the Chairman's podium.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien proposed to take up the discussion on Wednesday post-lunch but the members did not agree.

Kurien then adjourned the house for the day.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was scheduled to reply to the discussion on the Finance Bill 2017 at 3.30 p.m.

--IANS

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