LOK Sabha on Monday passed a bill to link electoral roll data with Aadhaar eco system amid protest by Opposition members over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence issue. The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021, piloted by Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, was passed by a voice vote after a brief discussion during which some opposition members demanded that it be referred to a parliamentary panel. Rejecting the demand, Rijiju said various proposals which are part of the bill have already been suggested and recommended by the Standing Committee of Law and Personnel. The Minister further said that the bill will cleanse the election system. Lok Sabha was later adjourned for the day amid continuous protest by opposition members. Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha cleared the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants authorising the Government to spend an additional Rs 3.73 lakh crore during the current fiscal amid protest by the opposition over various issues.

 

The extra spending include infusing over Rs 62,000 crore into the company that holds residual assets and liabilities of Air India, Rs 58,430 crore by way of additional fertiliser subsidy, Rs 53,123 crore towards payment of pending export incentives and Rs 22,039 crore to Rural Development Ministry for transfer to National Rural Employment Guarantee Fund. Replying to a discussion on the demands, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaan assured the House that the Government would take action to moderate prices of edible oil and other essential items.

 

She said banks have recovered about Rs 13,109 crore from asset sale of fugitives, including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. PM holds meet with top Ministers: PRIME Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with senior Ministers of his Government in Parliament on Monday to discuss various issues and the further strategy for the ongoing winter session. Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar, Kiren Rijiju and others were present in the meeting. Opposition parties have decided not to attend meetings called by the Government to end the deadlock in the Rajya Sabha in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.