FDI: Rules 184 and 168 rescue Parliament from deadlock

New Delhi, Nov 29: Now, both Lok Sabha and

will function smoothly. Finally, the four-day-long deadlock over foreign direct investment (

) during the Winter Session of

ended on Thursday, Nov 29. Debate on FDI in retail, as demanded by opposition parties, will happen in both Houses of Parliament.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar allowed FDI debate under Rule 184 that entails voting. "I have allowed a debate on FDI retail under Rule 184," the Speaker said. Kumar was responding to notices submitted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for a debate on the issue, even as she chose to declare the date and time of the discussion later.

Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj thanked the speaker for allowing a debate and voting on FDI. She assured smooth functioning of House. In Rajya Sabha, chairman Hamid Ansari admitted notices for discussion on FDI in retail under the rule 168 which entails voting.

Addressing reporters outside Parliament House, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajeev Sukla said: "The government has agreed to a debate with voting."

Parliament has not been functioning since winter session began on Nov 22 with the Left and the Right making a common cause on the demand for a discussion under a rule that entails voting.

OneIndia News