BHOPAL: The House passed the budget and eight bills through a voice vote amidst bedlam on Monday.
The House met for a day because of the corona pandemic, and finished all work within one and a half hours.
Immediately after the budget and the bills were passed, Pro tem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma adjourned the House sine die.
Sixty-seven members were present. Former minister Govind Singh’s demand for a discussion on the budget was turned down. For this reason, a few members of the Congress created uproar during which budget worth Rs 2,05,000 crore was passed.
As finance minister Jagdish Devra was ill, parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra put up budget and other bills.
Singh said it was a shame on democracy. No country in the world has ever passed a budget through a notification, he said. Singh demanded that he should be allowed to speak for five minutes on some issues.
To his demand, leader of opposition Kamal Nath said whosoever wanted speak on the budget should be allowed to give his opinion in writing. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan agreed to it.
Mishra said it was resolved at an all-party meeting that instead of discussing the budget it should be passed by a voice vote because of the pandemic. Nath had also agreed to it, Mishra said.
The Investment Bill, Sahukar Amend Bill, MP VAT Amend Bill, MP Goods and Services Tax Amend Bill, MP Nagar Palika Amend Bill, MP SC/ST Loan Redemption Bill and the Finance Bill were passed.
The House started functioning after paying tribute to the departed leaders. After that, all work was put off for five minutes. The House was informed about those who have resigned from its membership. Mishra also put up long-pending reports on the table.
23 members take part online
It happened for the first time that 23 members put up their views online. They took part in the discussion from different districts through NIC. All members were examined with the help of oximeter and thermometer before they entered the House. Each legislator was allowed to sit on one chair. Before the beginning of the House, Sharma told every member to follow the corona-protection norms.
