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Amid din, RS passes poll reforms bill via voice vote

Rajya Sabha suspends TMC MP Derek O’Brien; Bill to increase marriage age for women introduced in LS amid protests

Amid the likelihood that the winter session of Parliament may conclude on Wednesday, a day before schedule, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that aims to give effect to the long-pending electoral reforms, including linking Aadhaar with the voter ID card, was passed in the Rajya Sabha amid din on Tuesday, with the Opposition members strongly opposing the Bill and asking the government to take it back and finally staging a walkout from the House.

Parliamentary sources said that with the government completing most of its legislative agenda, there is a likelihood that Parliament could be adjourned sine die on Wednesday. The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed through a voice vote when all the Opposition, including Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP, Shiv Sena, Left, RJD, Samajwadi Party and BSP, staged walkout accusing the Chair of not giving them the division. Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh did now allow division as several members were in the Well of the House. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien has been suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining part of the current Session for allegedly “unruly behaviour” in the House. He had allegedly thrown the Rajya Sabha Rule Book towards the Chair on Tuesday during the discussion on Election Laws (Amendment Bill) 2021. Derek O’Brien on Tuesday said that he was suspended from Rajya Sabha while protesting against BJP making “a mockery of Parliament” and “bulldozing” the Election Laws Bill, 2021. He also expressed hope that the Bill would be repealed just as the three agricultural farm laws were repealed this year.

The Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday in a similar way and the Opposition members spoke against the Bill. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, who piloted the Bill, said that the Opposition members’ arguments against the introduction of the Bill are unfounded and they have misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s judgment.

“Youth who crossed the age of 18 years will get a chance to enrol themselves four times in a year under this Bill. This Bill clear multi electoral role and Aadhaar is being linked only for the identity of the electoral. Neither the Opposition have understood the objective of the Bill correctly, nor their argument is right,” said Rijiju while giving his concluding remark over the Bill amid the pandemonium.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre and said that the Election Laws 2021 amendment bill was passed without any “discussion or debate”; called it “mockery of democracy”. Taking to Twitter, Kharge said, “Modi Govt has passed the Election Laws 2021 amendment bill without any discussion or debate. The bill is in violation of SC Puttaswamy judgement and will lead to mass disenfranchisement. How can it be passed WITHOUT any DISCUSSION or SCRUTINY? It’s a mockery of our democracy!”

Meanwhile, in the Lok Sabha, Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Tuesday introduced The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The Bill seeks to increase the age of marriage of women from 18 years to 21 years. While introducing the marriage bill, the Union Minister in her remarks said, “We are, in a democracy, 75 years late in providing equal rights to men and women to enter into matrimony. Through this amendment, for the first time men and women will be able to make a decision on marriage at the age of 21, keeping in mind the right to equality.”

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders launched slammed the Centre for introducing the bill without discussions. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded that the Bill should be referred to the Standing Committee. “We would like to advise the Government that mistakes happen when work is done in haste. A lot of discussion is being done in India over this matter. The government has neither spoken to any stakeholder nor consulted any state. We demand that the Bill be referred to Standing Committee,” said Chowdhury. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy opposed the way in which the Government has brought the Bill in a hurry. “I oppose the way in which the Government has brought the Bill in a hurry. This Bill needs total discussion among all stakeholders. The minority people are totally opposed to this Bill,” said Roy. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi said, “Except for Women’s Reservation Bill, Government does not believe in consulting anybody. It is very important that such an important Bill has to be sent to Standing Committee or Select Committee and they have to review it and ask for opinions in civil society and then bring the Bill.”

In other developments in Parliament, Congress MPs on Tuesday moved suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha and adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh and demanded “immediate resignation of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni”. Congress MPs Deepender Singh Hooda, K.C. Venugopal moved a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha, while Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha. The MPs demanded a discussion of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report of the incident and the resignation of MoS Teni. Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra had been accused of running over farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri.

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