Rajya Sabha unlikely to discuss Aadhaar Bill

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 is likely to be returned to the Lok Sabha without any discussion in the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition has taken a strident stand against the government for tabling it as a “money” Bill, in the Upper House. Opposition members argued in the business advisory committee that they will not get time to discuss the Bill if it’s tabled on Friday. They urged Chairman Hamid Ansari that he should not allow the tabling of the Bill as a Money Bill unless Speaker Sumitra Mahajan certifies so.

“The Bill will be automatically returned if we fail to discuss it within 14 days. Now, practically, we have just three more working days and there are plenty of government business-including the passage of Budget and Rail Budget,” a senior MP told BusinessLine after a stormy session of the BAC here on Thursday.

The government, however, argued that its passage is important as a number of subsidies can be streamlined and a lot of public money can be saved if the legislation is in place. A money Bill does not need the elders’ approval. But the Opposition argues that the Bill should not be tabled in the Upper House at present. “It seems that we will not be able to discuss the Bill. The Centre continues to circumvent the Rajya Sabha despite sweet-talk by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the other day in this House. Now the ball is in Chairman’s court,” another leader from the Opposition said.