Making sense of the house
August 28th, 2011 - 12:06 am ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) The sense-of-the-house message that Saturday appeased Anna Hazare’s supporters enough to say that the social activist will break his fast at 10 a.m. Sunday is not very common in India’s parliamentary usage and, therefore, has left many wondering what it is all about.
“Sense-of-the-house is not there in Parliamentary rules,” says former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C. Kashyap. “A discussion is guided by the rule under which it takes place. If a discussion takes place under rule 193, a minister initiates it and gives his reply at the end. Since there is no motion, there is no question of voting.”
Yet Team Anna is happy. “It is a very positive development,” said an India Against Corruption activist. “We wanted a voice vote but we are very satisfied. This is something like that.”
The feeling is perhaps driven by the message that the rare show of unanimity seen in both houses of Parliament Saturday sent out.
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- Lok Sabha to sit Saturday, may discuss Lokpal - Aug 26, 2011
- Government agrees on voice vote on Anna's demands - Aug 27, 2011
- Mukherjee says discussions in both houses after his statement - Aug 27, 2011
- Ready to vote in favour of Anna's three demands: BJP - Aug 27, 2011
- Lokpal debate in parliament Saturday; Anna firm on key demands (Roundup) - Aug 27, 2011
- Nation at crossroads, discuss Lokpal issue dispassionately: Pranab (Lead) - Aug 27, 2011
- Congress meets to chalk out Lokpal strategy (Lead) - Aug 27, 2011
- Lok Sabha adjourned as BJP protests over Lokpal debate - Aug 26, 2011
- Deshmukh conveys parliament's decision to Hazare - Aug 27, 2011
- No more delay in Lokapl acceptable, says Anna - Dec 18, 2011
- Lokpal bill passed amid Anna fast, but Congress stumped (Intro Roundup) - Dec 28, 2011
- PM sends flowers, get well message to Anna - Aug 30, 2011
- Talks derail, will Anna end fast? (Second Lead) - Aug 27, 2011
- Government's intentions on Lokpal dishonest: Hazare - Dec 20, 2011
Tags: anna hazare, corruption, houses of parliament, India, Lok Sabha, New Delhi, parliament, parliamentary rules, rare show, reply, secretary general, social activist, subhash, unanimity, voice vote