Finance Bill 2023 passed and returned by Rajya Sabha amid opposition uproar

Rajya Sabha on Monday returned the Finance Bill-2023 with an amendment to Lok Sabha before being adjourned for the day amid Opposition uproar over the Adani issue.

The Upper House of Parliament returned the Finance Bill as well as the Jammu and Kashmir Budget 2023-24 and appropriation bills to Lok Sabha without any discussion.

Soon after Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2 pm, having been adjourned in the pre-lunch session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar began the process of returning the bills amid the din.

The House first returned the Jammu and Kashmir Budget and later the appropriation bills and the Finance Bill-2023.

While moving the Finance Bill for discussion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved an amendment to correct the rates of Securities Transaction Tax in the bill that was passed by Lok Sabha last week.

Though Dhankhar invited members for discussion, opposition MPs continued to disrupt the House demanding a discussion on the Adani issue and a joint parliamentary committee probe into the matter. Later the bills were approved to be returned to Lok Sabha by voice vote without discussion.

Lok Sabha too had approved these bills last week without discussion amid the continuous disruption of the House.

Dhankhar lamented that members did not avail the 10 hours that had been allocated for discussion on the bills. He then adjourned Rajya Sabha for the day.

In the pre-lunch session too opposition MPs, wearing black clothes to protest Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha, created a ruckus over the Adani issue.