RS farm bills voting: Video confutes govt's version on 'vacant' Oppn benches

The Centre’s claims of rules being followed during the voting on farm bills in the Rajya Sabha on September 20 and its narration of events contradict the version on the television footage of the same proceedings, according to NDTV.

The footage shows that two instances in the video — the extension of timing of the house to ensure voting, and the presence of members on their seats during the call for division of votes — were different from the government’s version of events.

The passage of the farm bills had triggered a huge uproar in Parliament, resulting in the suspension of eight members of the Opposition from the House by Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu.

The Opposition members claimed the bills were pushed through voice vote since the government did not have the majority. The position would have been clear if a physical vote was taken instead of a voice vote, according to them.

The members also accused Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Singh of colluding with the government. Singh and the government, on the other hand, have justified the voice vote, saying the Opposition members were not in their seats when they demanded physical voting.

The disruption had started at 1 pm, when Deputy Chairman Singh, as per claims by the Opposition, extended the House proceedings on the proposal of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi without taking consensus of the House.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha footage accessed by NDTV showed Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad saying at around 1.03 pm, “Opposition parties are saying that time should not be extended today and tomorrow the minister can reply…”

DMK MP Trichy Siva, a member of Parliament for over 20 years, told NDTV that however, the extension was made “without even looking at our side, just looking at the treasury benches… despite members from 12 opposition parties on their feet asking for adjournment”.

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“This is in clear violation of Rajya Sabha Rule 37,” NDTV quoted him as saying.

However, contrary to what the DMK MP said, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had told the media after the session: “Proceedings were going on peacefully. Parliamentary Affairs Minister wanted the house to be extended till the passing of the bills. This is a normal practice in the parliament. The sense of the house is not gathered by majority and minority. After this opposition parties came to the well of the house and started ruckus.”

Furthermore, KK Ragesh, CPM MP from Kerala, alleged that the Deputy Chairman had violated another rule that day by declining division of votes on his motion to send the bill to the select committee.

The Rajya Sabha footage shows that at least two of the three MPs who moved motion to send the bills to the select committee were in their seats when they demanded a division of votes.

The footage showed at 1.10 pm, when the Deputy Chairman took Trichy Siva’s motion for sending the bills to a select committee, he was in his seat when he demanded division of votes.

However, the motion was dismissed through voice vote.

When KK Ragesh’s motion was taken next at 1.11 pm, he too was seen in his seat when he demanded division of votes.  Once again, the motion was negated through voice vote.

Rule 252(4)(a) of Procedure And Conduct Of Business In The Council Of States states: “If the opinion of the Chairman as to the decision of a question is challenged and he does not adopt the course provided for in sub- rule (3) he shall order a “Division” to be held.”

Backing the events seen on the footage, KK Ragesh told NDTV that the central government’s allegation that members were not in their seats while demanding division was a “blatant lie”.

“House rules were violated. When the member asks for a division from his seat, the motion should have been put for vote through division. But the Deputy Chairman rejected my demand for division, saying I wasn’t in my seat. Rajya Sabha footage will show the truth. Both my constitutional and house rights were denied. The truth is government didn’t have numbers,” NDTV quoted him as saying.