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Rajya Sabha passes 2 bills amid protests by opposition MPs over security breach

Dec 18, 2023 04:17 PM IST

Minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai tabled the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2023 in the Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2023 amid protests by Opposition MPs over the December 13 Parliament security breach.

Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts proceedings in the House on Monday. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts proceedings in the House on Monday. (PTI)

The bills were tabled for consideration by minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai, who urged immediate passage of the bills saying it is for the “respect and dignity of women.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. It introduces provisions for reserving seats for women in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

One-third of the seats under Section 14 will be reserved for women from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. Additionally, one-third of the total seats in the Legislative Assembly, including those reserved for women from these categories, will be reserved for women. However, these reservations will only be enacted after a delimitation exercise following the next census.

Similarly, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 reserves one-third of all elected seats in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly for women. Both the bills were passed in Lok Sabha last week.

Following a brief discussion, where MPs including the BJD’s Sasmit Patra, BJP’s Kavita Patidar, and YSR Congress’ Vijaysai Reddy expressed support for the bills, Reddy advocated extending reservation to OBC women. Notably, proposed amendments by MPs including CPI(M)’s John Brittas and V Shivdasan were not considered by Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar as they were not seated.

Rai proceeded to move the bills for passing, which occurred via a voice vote, the bills were passed with virtually no opposition to the same as the opposition MPs continued to protest and shout “Pradhan Mantri sadan mein aao (PM, come to the House)” and “TV pe nahi, sadan mein aao (Not on TV, come to the house)”.

Dhankar then addressed the House and said, “Mothers, sisters, grandmothers—half of humanity—need our help, and we find ourselves unable to assist them. History will judge us harshly.”

He further addressed leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and said, “I have immense respect for you, but this is an insult to the House. I am deeply pained. This goes against democratic principles and values.”

Speaking on the Lok Sabha security breach, he said, “The Speaker of the Lok Sabha has formed a high-level inquiry committee for an in-depth investigation. The findings will be shared in due course. I plead with you in the name of the founding fathers. Those who are neglecting their constitutional duties are doing a great disservice to half of humanity.”

Dhankar then adjourned the proceedings of the House till 4pm, asking Kharge to meet him in his chamber and requesting the MPs to not be a “brigade of shouting and instead be a brigade of dialogue, discussion, debate, and deliberation to serve the interests of the people.”

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