Price rise deadlock over,debate today

The Opposition finally agreed to facilitate a discussion on price-rise in the Lok Sabha without insisting upon a voting at the end.

One step forward and one step backward that is exactly what the Opposition did on Wednesday by agreeing to end the deadlock and facilitate a discussion on price-rise in the Lok Sabha without insisting upon a voting at the end.

As scripted at a leaders meeting with Speaker Meira Kumar,the House would suspend Question Hour on Thursday and take up the discussion under Rule 193 in the morning. Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj will open the debate in place of BJP chief whip Ramesh Bais,who had made it in the draw of lots among the members who had given notices.

There was no word yet on the Rajya Sabha,which had been paralysed for two days over the same point. However,sources said opposition leaders in the Upper House too were likely to adopt the same stand and go in for a discussion without voting after suspending Question Hour.

The turning point on Wednesday came after Kumar gave her ruling rejecting the Opposition demand. The Speaker ruled that according to Rule 56,a definite matter of urgent public importance may be discussed by adjourning the business of the House. She said as per the rulings of her predecessors,the term urgent matter of public importance must have arisen suddenly in the manner of an emergency. More,it had been held that the chair had to take in to consideration the technical meaning of the word urgent used in Rule 583,which said an adjournment motion shall be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence. The subject of price-rise has not arisen suddenly in the manner of an emergency,she stressed.

Kumar said former Speaker G V Mavalankar had given a ruling which said,The right to move adjournment motions has certain limitations. One of the limitations is that it should not anticipate a debate in the House. The point is that if honble members have a fairly good chance of raising the question on a debate,then it will not be permitted as an adjournment motion.

However,she said price rise was a serious issue and the House could start a discussion on it Wednesday itself.