Parliament: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned to Friday amid Opposition demand for discussion on Manipur

Monsoon Session of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has begun today amid Opposition gearing up to corner the government on various issues including a debate on violence-torn Manipur. Follow this page for updates related to the session.

New Delhi: The Opposition's demand for a discussion on the situation in Manipur is likely to make this sitting of Parliament a stormy one. The Monsoon session begins amid strife-torn Manipur is limping back to normalcy and the violence has left over a 100 killed in about 3 months since the ethnic strife broke out in the northeastern state. Please follow this page for updates related to the Session.

• 2.12 pm
  Chairman of Rajya Sabha Dhankar adjourned the proceedings of the House to 11 am Friday amid the Opposition members demanding for a discussion under a specific rule - Rule 267. The Rajya Sabha rulebook allows for suspension of day’s business to debate the issue suggested by a Member who has given notice under Rule 267.
• 2.10 pm
  Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned to 11 am Friday by Speaker Om Birla amid loud sloganeering by the Opposition members.
• 11.12 am
  Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm after Speaker Om Birla read out the obituary references to two sitting members and 11 ex-MPs.
• 11.09 am
  Rajya Sabha was adjourned by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar after after obituary references to two sitting members and 11 former Parliamentarians.
• 11 am
  Monsoon session of Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha begins. The Lower House was chaired by Om Birla and the Upper House was chaired by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar.

Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the government convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday to seek cooperation from all political parties for the smooth functioning of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In the meeting, Congress asserted that it takes two hands to clap referring to the request.

"If the government wants Parliament to function, it should allow the opposition parties to raise issues and take up a discussion on Manipur during the Monsoon Session," Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, after participating in the all-party meeting ahead of the session starting Thursday.

Almost all opposition parties in the meeting demanded a discussion on the situation in Manipur and the alleged "attack" on the federal structure of the Constitution, according to some of the leaders present in the meeting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the government is ready for discussion on any issues including violence in Manipur.

The Monsoon Session will go on until August 11. As per the schedule, a total of 17 sittings will be there in both the Houses in this session spread over 23 days. Key legislations to be taken up during the session include the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, the Multi State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, the National Dental Commission Bill, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill and the Railways (Amendment) Bill.

Pralhad Joshi said 31 bills are expected to be taken up during the session. On Thursday, the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will be introduced while The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will be withdrawn in Rajya Sabha. Two bills - the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 will be taken up for consideration and passing in Rajya Sabha.