Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were adjourned on Friday due to a lack of quorum. The adjournment came immediately after a private member’s Bill seeking an amendment to the Constitution was withdrawn.
Further business could not be transacted as several members, including those of the AIADMK and the Congress, asked if sufficient members were there in the House to continue the proceedings.
Few Ministers
Congress member Jairam Ramesh stood up and protested that there were only two Ministers in the Treasury benches and no members.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel rushed out of the House to bring in some members, but his efforts went in vain.
In the absence of adequate quorum, JD(U) leader Kahkashan Perween, who was in the chair for the first time, adjourned the House for the day till 3.50 p.m.
For quorum, a minimum of 25 MPs must be present. There were only 23 members. Over a dozen Rajya Sabha members, including senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram and Roopa Ganguly of the BJP, were in the Lok Sabha gallery to witness the debate on the no-confidence motion. Among those present in the gallery were Rajeev Gowda of the Congress and G.V.L. Narasimha Rao of the BJP.
