RS briefly adjourned due to rare electric malfunction

Smoke emanating from a voting-cum-mike console on a seat in the treasury benches led to a brief adjournment of the Rajya Sabha on Monday morning.

As soon as the House paid respects to former Union minister and ex-Rajya Sabha member S Jaipal Reddy, BJP MPs K Alphons and Shiv Pratap Shukla complained of smoke emanating from the consle on the fourth row seat.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that they should not panic and directed them to sit in other seats till the staff attended the issue.

Naidu then adjourned the House for 15 minutes to allow the staff to check the console.

Rajya Sabha Secretary General Desh Deepak Verma then went to the fourth row of the treasury benches and directed staff to immediately rectify the problem.

When the House reassembled, Naidu said that he has asked for an enquiry into the incident, which is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit.