Finally, Lok Sabha Speaker allows FDI debate under Rule 184
Kumar was responding to notices submitted by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India-Marxist for a debate on the issue.
After days of impasse in Parliament over the contentious discussion on foreign investment in multi-brand retail, which threatened to wash out the winter session, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Thursday allowed a debate on FDI under Rule 184 which entails voting.
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:
While thanking the Speaker for allowing discussion on FDI, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj assured smooth functioning of House.
Earlier, at the beginning of the business for the day, Sushma Swaraj threatened that that Lok Sabha will function only if govt agreed to discuss the FDI issue under the rule entailing voting.
Both houses of parliament have been seeing disruptions since the winter session began Nov 22, with the opposition adamant on a debate on the issue under rules that entail voting.