Rajya Sabha witnesses uproar over extension of sitting

Rajya Sabha witnessed an uproar as opposition members protested to a proposal by Parliament Affairs Minister V Muraleedharan to extend the sitting of the upper house beyond the scheduled time on Wednesday.

The minister suggested that the House sit beyond 6 PM till the disposal of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, which was in discussion.

Noting that the sitting was stretched earlier also, an exasperated Anand Sharma said it cannot be a daily thing.

"Every day, it cannot be a punishment to the House," the Congress leader, who was coughing, said, adding it was not about him being unwell.

The Congress leader noted that the laws affect the people and have to be carefully looked into, adding it is "not a factory producing bills" and legislature must be respected.

Opposition members from Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI, Trinamool Congress and others said that all parties are supporting the government on the Bill and the pending discussion could be done tomorrow along with the minister's reply.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh sought to know the sense of the house and later said the proceedings will continue.

M Shanmugan of DMK, who was in the middle of his maiden speech in the house when the minister had made the proposal, began speaking again.

"Yesterday, we also sat and we agreed and it went on and passed the bill. Now there are 20 more speakers and then the minister would reply. We cannot make it a daily thing," Sharma said