The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote despite the opposition’s objections.
MPs of Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the other opposition parties staged walkout from the house.
Congress MPs stage walkout from Rajya Sabha during debate on #RTIAmendmentBill2019 #RajyaSabha pic.twitter.com/IQN277Avrj
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The legislation was passed after the Opposition’s proposal to send the RTI Amendment Bill to select committee was defeated with 117-75 in the Rajya Sabha.
Describing the legislation as ‘clumsy’, Union Minister Jitendra Singh tabled the RTI (Amendment) Bill, asserting it will lead to ease of delivery of RTI Act. He also described it as enabling legislation for administration purposes.
While opposing the bill, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said, “Parliament has to scrutinise. It needs time for scrutiny. This is not a T-20 match.”
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Earlier, the RTI bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday with 218 members voted in its favour and 79 members against it.
Before the RTI Amendment Bill as to be taken for discussion in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress issued a whip to its MPs to be present in the House. The BJP, too, had issued a whip to its MPs.
The Centre had introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday to amend the RTI Act, seeking to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of information commissioners amid vehement protests by opposition members.
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