Amit Shah to move Govt of UTs (Amendment) Bill, J&K Reorganization (Second Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to move the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in Rajya Sabha for its consideration and passage on Monday.

The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to reserve 33 per cent of seats in the Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry Assemblies for women. The legislation has already been passed in Lok Sabha last week.

According to the agenda released, the Home Minister will also move the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Bill was cleared in the Lower House on December 12.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to move the Appropriation Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha today to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2023-24. The Bill will be moved in the Upper House for consideration and return. It was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala will also move the Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha today to provide for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on the 31st day of March, 2021, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year. The Bill will be moved in the Upper House for consideration and return. It was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, several opposition MPs have given notices in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, seeking a discussion on the recent breach in Parliament security today.

Since two persons with gas canisters jumped into the Lok Sabha from the visitors’ gallery, triggering panic inside the House, the opposition lawmakers are demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue.

A total of 14 opposition MPs– 13 in Lok Sabha and 1 in Rajya Sabha– are currently suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session for creating a ruckus inside their respective Houses while demanding Shah’s statement.

Among the 13 MPs suspended from the Lok Sabha, nine are from the Congress, two from the CPM, one from the CPI, and one from the DMK.

The security breach happened on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. Two people–Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D–jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

Outside parliament, in another incident, two protestors — Neelam (42) and Amol (25) — protested outside the Parliament with similar gas canisters. However, all four were sent to seven-day custody of Delhi Police Special Cell on December 14.

Sticking to the matter, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari has given an Adjournment Motion notice to discuss the Parliament security breach incident.

Congress MPs Rajeev Shukla, Ranjeet Ranjan and DMK MP T Siva have moved a Suspension of Business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the December 13 incident.

Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated the demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.

Hitting out at the BJP-led central government over the massive security breach, the Congress President said that the BJP leaders are not ready to let the House function.

“It is a serious issue and the government should pay attention to it. We are repeatedly saying in Parliament that the Union Home Minister should come to the House and give a statement but he does not want to come. They (BJP) are not ready to let the House function. This is not a good thing for democracy but there is no point in talking to people who do not believe in democracy,” Kharge told ANI.