By IANS,
New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Tuesday set a precedent by permitting cut motions on demands that were to be guillotined.
“The practice followed so far in the house has been that the cut motions in respect of demands for grants which are to be guillotined are not circulated and thus not allowed to be moved. But I did not find any rule which bars the moving of cut motions on demands which are not discussed in the house,” the speaker observed before allowing the opposition cut motions.
The speaker said she had given “careful consideration” to the rules as well as the practice that has been followed all these years in respect of cut motions.
“I have also examined the constitutional provision which vests the power in the House of the People to reduce any demand submitted to the house. Constitutional right is a superior right and it overrides practices,” she said.
“Right to move cut motions is an important right of the members of the house provided in the constitution which cannot be curtailed,” she said, adding: “I am, therefore, allowing the cut motions to be moved on demands which are to be guillotined.”
Later Tuesday night, the cut motions were voted out, and the guillotined demands carried with comfortable margin, enabling the government to sail through the test of strength.