Treasury benches goof up on food bill

A faux pas by the treasury benches during the voting on the ordinance on food security in the Rajya Sabha virtually caused embarrassment to the government.

When Chairman Hamid Ansari called for a voice vote on the statutory resolution moved by Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley disapproving of the ordinance on the food security issued on July 5, members from the treasury benches, who were supposed to say “no”, inadvertently said “aye”. However, they immediately realised their mistake and said a resounding “no”, when the Chair again put the question to them.

However, deputy leader of BJP in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said that since members from both the treasury and opposition benches have already said “aye” during the voice vote, the Opposition resolution that seeks to disapprove the ordinance got the majority.

Later Ansari ordered for division of votes. Finally, the resolution was negated by 118 votes. Even in the Lok Sabha last week, a similar faux pas occurred during voting on the same bill.