Somnath rejects BJPs demand for N-deal discussion under Rule 184

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today rejected opposition Bharatiya Janata Partys demand for discussion of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal under Rule 184 of the Parliament that entails voting.

New Delhi, Aug 17 : Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today rejected opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's demand for discussion of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal under Rule 184 of the Parliament that entails voting.

Rejecting the BJP's demand Chatterjee said: "There has been no occasion where any treaty or agreement (with a foreign country) was ever discussed under Rule 184," adding that the Parliament has "no competence" to decide on operationalisation of an agreement signed with a foreign country.

The demand for a discussion on the civilian nuclear energy cooperation between India and the US, the text for its operationalisation was recently agreed, was put forward by Leader of Opposition L K Advani.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav had also placed an identical demand to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

The Speaker said that by asking the government to re-negotiate the pact, the motion in effect seeks to disapprove the agreement entered, which the House has no competence to do.

Such a move will amount to the House rejecting the agreement in its present form, he added.

The Left parties, which too have rejected the deal, have called for discussion under Rule 193 that does not entail voting.

The debate on the issue is most likely to take place on Monday in the Parliament under Rule 193.

ANI