Oppn for vote on defence debate

A senior official in the Lok Sabha secretariat said that the decision was taken by the Speaker after holding "in-camera" consultations with the senior leaders of the parties.

When contacted, P J Kurien, chief whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party, said that the decision was based on the understanding reached among the leaders earlier. But since the situation had undergone a change, the "motion may also undergo a change."

In the Rajya Sabha, however, no decision has been taken so far either about the rule under which adiscussion is to be taken up or about the wording of the motion. The Opposition parties had been insisting that the motion be allowed to be moved under rule 170 which required voting, the government is keen that the motion be brought under rule 176.

The Congress is keen that the Bhagwat issue is discussed in the Rajya Sabha first where the government is in a hopeless minority. The Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned abruptly in view of the impasse on the issue before the recess.

A decision is likely to be taken in the next couple of days by the chairman after talking to all concerned.