الرئيسية
New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday said it will seek an
explanation from party MPs who were absent without prior information
during the voting Tuesday night in Lok Sabha on the bill to give
constitutional status to the Lokpal.
A senior Congress leader said that a show cause notice will be issued
to the MPs who had remained absent without prior information as a whip
had been issued to members to be present in the house.
He said 13 party MPs were not present during the division on the
constitutional amendment bill, but he did not disclose their names. The
leader said two of these 13 MPs had given prior information about their
absence. However, another leader said that 12 MPs were absent during the
voting.
The leader said that nearly eight members from the Congress' allies
in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were also not present.
Party sources said Congress president Sonia Gandhi also conveyed her
unhappiness over party MPs not being present despite a whip.
'She pulled up a MP,' a party leader said.
Party spokesman Raashid Alvi said that the parliamentary party will
decide the course of action on MPs not present in the house.
'Our parliamentary party will look into it and will decide on further
course of action on those MPs who were not present,' Alvi told IANS.
Alvi blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the constitutional bill getting defeated in the house.
'We fulfilled our commitment (to pass the Lokpal bill), but
unfortunately could not give it constitutional status. The BJP is
responsible for this. It talks of a strong bill but was against
constitutional status,' Alvi said.
explanation from party MPs who were absent without prior information
during the voting Tuesday night in Lok Sabha on the bill to give
constitutional status to the Lokpal.
A senior Congress leader said that a show cause notice will be issued
to the MPs who had remained absent without prior information as a whip
had been issued to members to be present in the house.
He said 13 party MPs were not present during the division on the
constitutional amendment bill, but he did not disclose their names. The
leader said two of these 13 MPs had given prior information about their
absence. However, another leader said that 12 MPs were absent during the
voting.
The leader said that nearly eight members from the Congress' allies
in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were also not present.
Party sources said Congress president Sonia Gandhi also conveyed her
unhappiness over party MPs not being present despite a whip.
'She pulled up a MP,' a party leader said.
Party spokesman Raashid Alvi said that the parliamentary party will
decide the course of action on MPs not present in the house.
'Our parliamentary party will look into it and will decide on further
course of action on those MPs who were not present,' Alvi told IANS.
Alvi blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the constitutional bill getting defeated in the house.
'We fulfilled our commitment (to pass the Lokpal bill), but
unfortunately could not give it constitutional status. The BJP is
responsible for this. It talks of a strong bill but was against
constitutional status,' Alvi said.