Lok Sabha stalemate on, Finance Bill not taken up

New Delhi, March 13 

The crucial Finance Bill for 2018-19 could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha today as unabated noisy protests took toll of the proceedings for the seventh consecutive day.

The Lok Sabha, which was scheduled to take up the Finance Bill 2018-19 and the Appropriation bills for FY 2017-18 and 2018-19 today, was first adjourned till noon following uproar by members of the Opposition and NDA allies such as the TDP and then for the day after the listed papers were laid.

Cut motions on demands for grants of the ministries of railways, agriculture and farmers’ welfare and social justice and empowerment were also listed on the business agenda of the Lower House today, which could not be taken up.

The Question Hour and the Zero Hour were washed out as scores of members from the TDP, Congress, AIADMK, TRS and Trinamool Congress trooped into the Well, forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to first adjourn the proceedings for about 50 minutes soon after it had assembled for the day.

When the House reassembled at noon, the protests continued and no legislative business could be carried out.

Members of YSR Congress and TDP, which quit the Central government last week but remains part of the ruling NDA, were demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.

While the Congress and the Trinamool Congress raised the issue of Rs 12,700 crore fraud in Punjab National Bank, the TRS sought increased reservation quota and AIADMK wanted the government to set up Cauvery management board. Members from the Left parties were seen standing at their seats, holding some photographs. But the issue they wanted to raise could not be ascertained in the melee.

As the bedlam continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings for the day after the tabling of the listed papers. — PTI