Lok Sabha adjourned after passage of Surrogacy Bill amid uproar

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day after the House agreed to the amendments made by Rajya Sabha in the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, amid protest by Opposition members demanding the removal of Ajay Mishra as Union minister in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

As Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 pm, three bills-- the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, and the Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 --were introduced after laying of various papers and reports.

Besides, Minister of State for Health Bharti Pravin Pawar introduced the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, as passed by Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage.

Last week, Rajya Sabha passed the bill after amendments and returned it to Lok Sabha on December 14.

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The bill aims to constitute a National Surrogacy Board and state surrogacy boards and appoint appropriate authorities for regulation of the practice and process of surrogacy.

It was earlier passed by Lok Sabha on August 5, 2019, and transmitted to Rajya Sabha for its concurrence.

Lok Sabha passed the amended bill amid uproar by Opposition members demanding the removal of the minister whose son Ashish Mishra is among the accused in the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence.

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Soon after the passage of the bill, Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing proceedings, adjourned Lok Sabha till Monday.

The 228th report of the Law Commission had recommended that the government should enact legislation to ensure that there is only restrictive surrogacy in the country and commercial surrogacy is banned.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill, only Indian couples who have been legally married for at least five years would be allowed to opt for surrogacy.

The bill seeks to "allow ethical altruistic surrogacy to the intending infertile Indian married couple between the age of 23-50 years and 26-55 years for female and male, respectively."

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Earlier in the day, the House was adjourned soon after taking up four questions and their supplementary during the Question Hour.

As the ruckus continued, Speaker Om Birla had adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

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