LS adjourns abruptly after BJP insisted on voting

The Lok Sabha was adjourned abruptly on Wednesday after uproar created by the Bharatiya Janata Party which wanted voting on two bills -- Judicial Accountability and 114th Constitution Amendment Bill.

The sudden adjournment of the House left the debate on the two crucial bills incomplete.

The much-delayed Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill 2010, which is an amended version of the one introduced last year, provides for a mechanism to investigate  complaints against judges.

The 114th Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to raise the retirement age of High Court judges from the present 62 years to 65 years, bringing it on par with the retirement age of  Supreme Court judges.

After five hours of debate on the two bills, the Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj insisted that voting should be taken up as the four hours earmarked for the debate had  been over.

Girija Vyas, who was in the chair, said the debate should continue as more members wanted to speak.

She agreed that the Business Advisory Committee had decided on four-hour debate, but said, "the House is supreme." She, however, paused the debate and called Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed to make a statement on government's decision on providing 4.5 per cent reservation to to minorities within 27 per cent the OBC quota.

While the Minister was making the statement, BJP members shouted slogans protesting against reduction of seats reserved for the Other Backward Classes.

Soon after the Minister finished speaking, the BJP members tore the copy of the statement, entered the well and reached near the Speaker's table shouting slogans.

The Speaker later adjourned the House for the day.