NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

Both houses of Parliament adjourned sine die; trust vote not taken up

Lok Sabha AIADMK members in the well of the Lok Sabha | PTI

The Lok Sabha was on Friday adjourned sine die, with the House unable to take up notices for no-confidence motion against the government and bringing to a close a tumultuous Budget Session that witnessed repeated disruptions.

Protests by AIADMK and Congress members over setting up of the Cauvery Management Board as well as by TDP members demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh marked the last day of the session on Friday.

As soon as the House met for the Question Hour, members began to protest and engage in sloganeering despite repeated requests from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, asking them to go back to their seats.

"Today is the last day. If you are not ready... I will sine die the House," a visibly peeved Mahajan told the agitating members.

The speaker also said that she wanted to take up notices for the no-confidence motion.

"I am sorry... if you don't want to take up (notices for no-confidence motion)," she said and proceeded to read out a brief summary of the Budget Session and its second leg, which began on March 5.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the House.

Members from both the AIADMK and the Congress holding placards trooped into the well even before proceedings began for the day. While the AIADMK was demanding immediate setting up of the Cauvery Management Board, some Congress members from Karnataka were opposing it.

When the speaker was reading out the summary, members from the TDP were standing in the well holding placards.

Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha was also adjourned sine die on Friday, bringing to an end the Budget Session that was marked by continuous disruptions that saw 120 working hours being wasted.

Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu expressed anguish and pain over disruptions and also display of placards, flags and slogan shouting by various political parties.

Naidu said 120 hours were wasted due to disruptions during the Budget Session, which started on January 29.

Proceedings of the second part of the Budget session in the House, after it reassembled on March 5, were practically washed out due to disruptions, except for passage of a bill related to payment of gratuity and farewell to retiring members.

Before adjourning the House sine die, Naidu said it was beyond his comprehension why the House did not debate important issues despite the Chair's approval for debates and asked members to introspect.