Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday amid Opposition protests; Births and Deaths Amendment Bill passed

Opposition MPs stage a protest in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Friday. PIC/PTI

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill amid protests and sloganeering by Opposition members, who demanded discussions on several issues, including the Ram Temple donation theft controversy and alleged police brutality during the NEET paper leak protests in the national capital.

The Bill, introduced by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, was passed through a voice vote amid continued disruptions, with Opposition members raising slogans and entering the Well of the House.

Despite repeated appeals from the Chair for smooth functioning of proceedings, Opposition MPs continued their protest, waving placards and demanding accountability from Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged police action during the student protests, news agency IANS reported.

When the House reconvened at noon, several members made their submissions before Rai sought the House's approval for the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill. The legislation was passed within minutes without any discussion amid the uproar.

The Bill seeks to make provisions for delayed registration of births and deaths more stringent and encourage timely reporting. As per the amendments, if a birth or death is reported to the Registrar more than one year but within two years of its occurrence, registration can be carried out only with the approval of the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate.

The legislative changes aim to strengthen the registration process and improve compliance with reporting requirements.

Kiren Rijiju slams Opposition protests, urges MPs to participate in debate

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition for disrupting proceedings and said members should participate in debates on important legislation.

Rijiju said the matter had been discussed and agreed upon in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), which decides the agenda of the House, but the Opposition chose to disrupt proceedings instead of debating the Bill.

Terming the conduct "sad and unfortunate", Rijiju told Opposition members, "People have sent you to the Parliament for discussing and deliberating on key legislative issues and framing laws. You don't engage in discussion on legislation, then go in public claiming that the government is bulldozing the Bill through the House."

"This is not correct, you should participate in discussion," he added.

Dilip Saikia, who was presiding over the proceedings, also appealed to members to maintain decorum and engage in constructive dialogue, warning that such disruptions could set a wrong precedent.

As the ruckus continued, the Chair adjourned the Lok Sabha till Monday morning.

(With IANS inputs)