Rajya Sabha Adjourned After Passage of Essential Defence Services Bill via Voice Vote

New Delhi: After passing a Bill that seeks to prohibit any agitation and strike by anyone engaged in essential defence services, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Thursday amid continuous protests by Opposition members over the Pegasus controversy and various other issues.

The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021 was passed in the Upper House through voice vote. The Bill was cleared by Lok Sabha on August 3.

Bills Introduced on Tax Laws, Ladakh University in LS

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid continuous disruption by Opposition members over the Pegasus spying issue and three farm laws.

After repeated adjournments when the House met at 5 pm, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rose to introduce the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said Bills were being passed in the House without a debate at an average time of seven minutes a Bill.

He claimed that bringing a supplementary list of business at the last minute was not correct.

RSP member N K Premchandran supported Chowdhary.

Later, the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was introduced by a voice vote amid slogan shouting by Opposition members. The Bill seeks to amend the Income Tax Act of 1961 and the Finance Act of 2012.

Rama Devi, who was in in the Chair, then adjourned the proceedings for the day.

Another  Bill that seeks to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, to provide for the establishment of a university in the Union territory of Ladakh was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 amid a din by Opposition members over the Pegasus spying row and farmers' issue.

Opposition leaders opposed the introduction of the Bill with Congress member Manish Tewari saying that there is a time-honoured convention of the House that till the time the House is not in order no legislation can be discussed.

"What is happening is completely unconstitutional, it is murder of democracy," he said.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, piloted by Pradhan, at present there is no Central university in Ladakh and, therefore, the government has decided to establish a new Central university there to ensure increase in accessibility and quality of higher education, and to facilitate and promote avenues of higher education and research for the people of the Union territory.

According to the statement of objects, the Bill seeks to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, to provide for the establishment of a University in the name of "Sindhu Central University" in Ladakh  at a cost of Rs 750 crore.