Debate on Finance Bill suspended for 5 mts for quorum

New Delhi, Apr 28 (UNI) The debate on the Finance Bill was suspended in the Lok Sabha today for about five minutes for lack of quorum, subjecting the government to some embarrassment.

Mr Nikhil Kumar (Cong) was making his points on the Bill when Mr Brajesh Pathak (BSP) and Mr Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) brought to the notice of the chair that the debate could not continue as enough members were not present.

Minister of State for Finance P K Bansal rushed to Mr Pathak, pleading with the member not to insist on quorum. Finance Minister P Chidambaram was also present in the House. But the BSP member and Mr Pradhan persisted.

Mr Varkala Radhakrishnan, who was in the chair, ordered the ringing of quorum bells following which members started walking into the House.

Meanwhile, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also rushed in and took over from Mr Radhakrishnan.

Mr Kumar was allowed to continue after it was found that quorum requirements had been met. However, minutes later the Speaker adjourned the House for the lunch break, stating that Mr Kumar would resume his speech when the members reassembled at 1400 hrs.

Earlier, resuming the debate, Mr B K Deo (BJP) wanted higher allocations for provision of urban amenities in rural areas at Rs 1,000 crore.

Mr Kumar wanted provision of national old pension scheme for all those above 60 years of age and classified as below poverty line (BPL), irrespective of the fact whether they were destituites or not.

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