Lok Sabha Speaker admits Oppn's no-confidence motion, discussion Friday

New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament started on a defiant note from Opposition benches as the Congress, the Telegu Desam Party and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party moved notices for a no-confidence motion against the government.

The motion was accepted in the Lok Sabha by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoped that the Monsoon Session would be productive and that time would be properly utilised to discuss important matters.

Taking to Twitter, PM Narendra Modi said the government was ready to discuss everything.

As soon as Parliament commenced, members of the Samajwadi Party and TDP jumped into the well shouting against the recent cases of mob lynching in the country and demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.

The demand for a special status to Andhra Pradesh had prompted BJP ally Chandrababu Naidu to pull out of the NDA earlier this year. Naidu’s opposition in the state, Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSR Congress, held a separate protest outside Parliament with the same demand.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Opposition had no confidence in a government which has “led farmers to commit suicide and under whose regime women were being raped everyday.”

Congress’ Shashi Tharoor brought up the recent attack on his Kerala office by BJP workers. He said, “The attack wasn't only an attack on a constitutionally provided office but a larger attempt by the ruling party to destroy the idea of India and pluralism. Swami Agnivesh was also attacked. We shouldn't stand by as mob lynching and hooliganism have begun to rule democracy.”

The no-confidence motion will not derail the BJP government which has 273 MPs in the Lok Sabha, plus allies. It is a symbolic attack by the Opposition to make a point against the government and to rally support for a possible coalition.

The monsoon session, which concludes on August 10, will have 18 sittings amid much-expected drama in both the houses -- Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

An all-party meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister on Tuesday for smoothing functioning of the Monsoon Session. The meeting received a "positive" outcome, Union Minister Ananth Kumar said.

However, the Opposition parties, led by Congress, will hopefully eye to target the in-power Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over various amendments.

The Congress on Tuesday had said a number of Opposition parties would collectively give a notice for a no-confidence motion against the Modi government in Parliament's Monsoon Session.

Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said several parties agreed during a meeting of opposition leaders to work together to bring a no-confidence motion against the government.

Sources said that the Congress was working to move the motion on Wednesday and is in the process of filing a notice in this regard. Kharge said opposition parties will demand grant of special status to Andhra Pradesh, apart from raising issues such as lynchings, atrocities against women and Dalits and dilution of a law meant for SCs.

The government has listed a substantive legislative business for the session. This includes 46 Bills and two financial matters. On priority are The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill or the anti-instant triple talaq bill and The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill that gives Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The National Medical Commission Bill, The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, The Consumer Protection Bill, The Dam Safety Bill and Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill are also on Centre's agenda.

Besides, there are six bills replacing ordinances promulgated in the inter-session period are also high on government's agenda. These include The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, The National Sports University Ordinance and The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance.

On Tuesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also chaired two separate all-party meeting to ensure smooth functioning of both the Houses. BJP Parliamentary Party's executive also met for a strategy meet in the Library Building of Parliament.

On a related note, the List of Business or the agendas to be taken up in the upcoming monsoon session are as follows:

I Bills for Introduction, Consideration and Passing

1. The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018;

2. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill, 2018;

3. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018

4. The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2018

5. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2018

6. The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018

7. Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

8. Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

9. Union Territory Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018

10. Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States Amendment) Bill, 2018

11. The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018

12. The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018

13. The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment)Bill, 2018

14. The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018

15. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018

16. The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

17. The Dam Safety Bill, 2018

18. Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018

II Bills for Consideration and Passing

Bills pending in Lok Sabha

1. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017

2. The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2017

3. The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2017

4. The Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2017

5. The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017

6. The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2017

7. The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018

8. The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2018

9. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018

10. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016

11. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016

12. The Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016

13. The National Sports University Bill, 2017

14. The Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017

15. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017.

Bills pending in Rajya Sabha

1. The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015

2. The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016

3. The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017

4. The State Bank (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017.

5. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017

6. The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017

7. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017

8. The Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill, 2018

9. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017

10. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013

III Financial Business

1. Supplementary Demands for Grants (including Railways) for 2018-19

2. Demands for Excess Grants for 2015-16

IV Bills for Withdrawal

Lok Sabha

1. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Rajya Sabha

1. The Armed Forces Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2012

2. The Nalanda University (Amendment) Bill, 2013