Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill without discussion, by voice vote

Lok Sabha on Monday passed Finance Bill 2020 by voice vote without any discussion. Soon after that, the House was adjourned for indefinite period in view of the coronavirus threat that has prompted the government to lock down the country.

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu had called for a meeting at 1.30 pm to take stock of the situation after voices from inside Parliament are growing louder to adjourn the House sine die. Both Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena had announced that their party MPs would not attend the budget session of Parliament due to the coronavirus pandemic.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar urged his party MPs on Sunday to stay back in constituencies to help people combat Covid-19. "Request all MPs of NCP LS & RS not go back to Delhi, please stay where you are and assist Govt agencies help citizens to fight the #Coronavirus pandemic," Pawar said in a post on microblogging site Twitter. Originally, the budget session is scheduled to last until April 3.

Many MPs including TMC's Derek Obrien, BJP's Dushyant Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan and India's Sherpa for G20 Suresh Prabhu are under self-quarantine after they come in contact with those who were tested positive.

(Inputs from theindianexpress.com)