Lok Sabha to have four-day holiday beginning from Saturday

New Delhi: The Business Advisory Committee of the Parliament decided that the Lok Sabha will have a four-day holiday starting Saturday. The House would resume its proceedings on Wednesday next.

The decision was taken unanimously in the advisory committee meeting that took place on Wednesday last at the chamber of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan where the members had urged the Speaker to declare December 12 a holiday for the House.

The Members said, "as December 13 is a holiday on account of Prophet Muhammad's birthday and December 10 and 11 are the weekend, we appeal that December 12 be declared a holiday. We can come again on Wednesday."

The issue was raised before the Speaker by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sudip Bandopadhyay in the House and was supported by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge who stated, "I think the entire house will agree."

The suggestion of discussing the matter in the advisory committee was given by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. He also used the occasion to point out that the Session would end on December 16 and requested the opposition members avoid creating uproar and start the debate on Demonetisation. He urged the opposition to let the Lower House function smoothly.

What else the business advisory committee decided for Lok Sabha:

• To allocate four hours for the discussion and voting on Second Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2016-17 and Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2013-14 to be taken up on Thursday.
• Three hours have been allocated for consideration and passage of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014, once it is passed by the Rajya Sabha.