New Delhi: Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Giriraj Singh were among 20 BJP leaders, who skipped the voting on the introduction of ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills, which aim to synchronize Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, on Tuesday.
The BJP is already inquiring into the absence of party’s leaders despite having issued a three-line whip asking all its members to remain present in the House and plans to send them notices. “We are definitely looking into the reasons behind their absence. Quite a few had genuine reasons,” media reports quoted a senior leader as saying.
Besides these three, CR Patil, Shantanu Thakur, Jagdambika Pal, BY Raghavendra, Vijay Baghel, Udayraje Bhonsale, Jagannath Sarkar, Jayant Kumar Roy, Bhagirath Choudhar, V Somanna, Chintamani Maharaj were among the absentee MPs, ANI reported citing sources.
Patil and Choudhary were in Jaipur for ‘Ek Varsh-Parinaam Utkarsh’ event to mark the Rajasthan government’s one year in office with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest, the TOI reported.
A few others had also informed floor managers, citing personal and professional engagements.
The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill was tabled by Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal after a nearly 90-minute debate, followed by a vote with 269 members in its favour and 198 opposing it. Additionally, the Union Territories Amendment Bill, which seeks to align elections in the Union territories of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir with the Lok Sabha elections, was also introduced. The bills have now been referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further discussions.
Though the absence of MPs did not affect tabling of the bills, it did provide ammunition to the Congress, which taunted the government for having failed to garner 2/3 majority in the House required to pass a constitutional amendment.
Also Read: One Nation One Election: Will BJD Support The Bill As BJP Scurry For 2/3 Majority?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah later said the PM wanted the bills to be referred to a joint committee of Parliament for wider deliberations at every level.
