Amid uproar, Parliament approves Finance Bill

RajyaSabha on Monday returned the Finance Bill-2023 with an amendment to LokSabha before being adjourned for the day amid Opposition uproar over the Adani issue. The Upper House of Parliament returned the Finance Bill as well as the Jammu and Kashmir Budget 2023-24 and appropriation bills to LokSabha without any discussion. Soon after RajyaSabha reassembled, having been adjourned in the pre-lunch session, Chairman JagdeepDhankhar began the process of returning the bills amid din. The House first returned the Jammu and Kashmir Budget and later the appropriation bills and the Finance Bill-2023.

While moving the Finance Bill for discussion, Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman moved an amendment to correct the rates of Securities Transaction Tax in the bill that was passed by LokSabha last week.

Though Dhankhar invited members for discussion, opposition MPs continued to disrupt the House, demanding a discussion on the Adani issue and a joint parliamentary committee probe into the matter. Later, the bills were approved to be returned to LokSabha by voice vote without discussion.

The LokSabha, too had approved these bills last week without discussion amid continuous disruption of the House. Dhankhar lamented that members did not avail the 10 hours that had been allocated for discussion on the bills. He then adjourned RajyaSabha for the day.
MPs of the Congress and other opposition parties began shouting slogans even before Chairman Dhankhar took his seat. Sensing the mood, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. “Modi-Adanibhai, bhai,” members of opposition parties shouted.

Parliament on Monday approved the Union Budget for 2023-24 with the LokSabha clearing the Finance Bill as amended by the RajyaSabha, amid continuous uproar by the Opposition over the Adani issue. The amendment to the Finance Bill 2023, which sought to correct an error with regard to the tax rate on Securities Transaction Tax (STT), was moved by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman. The passage of the Finance Bill completes the budgetary exercise for 2023-24. Rama Devi, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House for the day after the passage of the Finance Bill.