LS passes Budget without discussion

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the crucial Finance Bill 2018 and a ` 89.25- lakh crore spending plan for the next fiscal year without discussion amid ruckus through voice vote, which led to the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament for the eighth day running.

The Finance Bill as well as the Appropriation Bill were passed in just 25 minutes even as vociferous members of the TDP, AIADMK, SP and RJD stood in the well of the House and shouted slogans over a slew of issues.

MPs from the Congress, Left and SP shouted slogans over the manner in which the Finance and Appropriation Bills were passed. The House was adjourned for the day immediately after that.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the crucial Finance Bill 2018 and a ` 89.25 lakh crore spending plan for the next fiscal year without discussion amid ruckus through voice vote, which led to the adjournment of both the Houses of Parliament for the eighth day running.

The Finance Bill as well as the Appropriation Bill were passed in a matter of 25 minutes even as vociferous members from TDP, AIADMK, SP and the RJD stood in the well of the house and shouted slogans over a slew of issues.

Holding placards and shouting slogans, MPs from TDP and YRS Congress sought special assistance for Andhra Pradesh, AIADMK members were seeking setting up of the Cauvery river tribunal. The MPs from the Congress, Left and SP were seen shouting slogans over the manner in which the finance and appropriation bills were being passed.

The Lower House was adjourned for the day immediately thereafter. The Opposition parties protested against the passage of the budget without debate, as the session is slated to continue till April 6.

The Rajya Sabha, which was informed of the passage of the budget by the Lok Sabha at 2 PM, was also adjourned for the day within about three minutes thereafter.

In the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved 21 amendments to the Bill containing taxation proposals for 2018- 19, which were approved by voice vote. So was the Appropriation Bill which detailed spending plans for 99 government ministries and departments.

With this, the parliamentary approval for the Modi government’s fifth and final budget was completed in the Lok Sabha, where the ruling BJP- led NDA enjoys absolute majority. Earlier this week, the BJP had issued a three- day whip to its members to be present in the House.

As slogan- shouting began soon after the House assembled, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan accepted Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar’s proposal for advancing the time of the passage of the Finance and other bills, scheduled in the agenda at 5 pm, to noon. Thereafter, she adjourned the House till 12 PM as members of the opposition and TDP and AIADMK raised slogans on various issues, including against the passage of the budget without debate, the ` 12,700 crore banking scam, special status to Andhra Pradesh among others.