The Assembly on Wednesday passed the Appropriation Bill 2016-17, rejecting the main Opposition, YSR Congress Party’s plea to allow voting on the Bill.
The House witnessed heated debate during the passage of the Bill as Opposition Leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy contended that the House could take up division for the passage of the annual financial statement while the Legislative Affairs Minister, Y. Ramakrishnudu, contended that there was no provision that would allow voting on the Appropriation Bill. The House was adjourned sine die immediately after the passage of the Appropriation Bill amid slogan-shouting by the YSR Congress members.
High drama was witnessed during the proceedings with the main opposition party pressing for division for passage of the Appropriation Bill.
But, Mr. Ramakrishnudu as well as the Speaker refused to concede the demand on the ground that there was no provision for voting on the Finance Bill in the Constitution or the rules of the legislature.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy insisted that the Opposition could seek division on the Bills that were adopted by voice vote, but Dr. Sivaprasada Rao asserted that the rule book disallowed any dilatory motion when it came to the passage of the Appropriation Bill.
Mr. Jagan alleged that the ruling party had bought over some of his MLAs and was trying to shield them from coming under the purview of the anti- defection law by not allowing voting on the Bill.
The Finance Minister, who quoted Articles 202, 203, and 204 of the Constitution, as also from the rules governing parliamentary practices, said the existing rules did not permit moving amendments to theq Appropriation Bill, leave alone seeking voting on it. Provisions clearly show that voting could be taken up during the passage of demands for grants, and passage of the Appropriation Bill was a constitutional obligation of the House to enable drawal of funds for the functioning of the government, including payment of salaries to staff and release of funds for ongoing and proposed schemes.
“There is not a single instance across the country where an elected House had permitted voting on the Appropriation Bill. The House will not budge to the frivolous demands of the Opposition, which are aimed at keeping its flock together rather than involving any public interest,” he said.
He faulted the YSR Congress for not studying the issues in depth before insisting on division or the debate on the no-confidence motions it had moved against the Council of Ministers or the Speaker.
The Speaker informed the House that he had gone through the Constitutional provisions and the rules governing the conduct of business, besides consulting experts on Parliamentary affairs, and ascertained the established practices relating to whether the Opposition could seek division on the Appropriation Bill.
“Division can be sought if the ruling party has no majority, or is surviving on wafer- thin majority. But the ruling party in the present instance has full majority,” he said.
Even as Mr. Jagan tried to impress upon the Treasury Benches that the Opposition could seek division quoting the provisions in the parliamentary practices, the request went unheeded as the House passed the bill on voice vote and this was immediately followed by the adjournment of the proceedings sine die .
There is not a single instance where an elected House permitted voting on the Appropriation Bill
Y. Ramakrishnudu
Legislative Affairs Minister
Division can be sought if the ruling party has no majority, or is surviving on wafer-thin majority
K. Sivaprasada Rao
Speaker
