Record 14 points of order raised in RS during over 1-hour debate on WMD Bill

The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a record 14 'points of order' raised during the 100-minute-long debate on 'The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022,' officials said.

A point of order is a query raised by a member during deliberation on a legislation in the House.

Usually these are related to whether the correct procedure is being followed or not.

Soon after the panel vice chairman Sasmit Patra called for the start of the discussion amid slogan shouting, leaders of various opposition parties took to raising points of order frequently to get the discussion stalled.

The protesting members also kept shouting in the well, as Bharatiya Janata Party members spoke on the bill.

As soon as an opposition member would raise a point of order, the protesting opposition would return to their seats and would allow their member to speak.

After the point of order was over, the opposition would return to the well and continue with their sloganeering soon, leading to pandemonium in the house.

RS officials said seven members raised points of order under Rules 110, 238, 239 and 259 relating to ensuring order in the house and raising the issue of personal charges against opposition members.

Vice Chairman Patra said if anything objectionable is found, due action will be taken on examination.

About the loose order in the House, he said it was members' duty too and not of the Chair alone.

Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha raised a point of order five times, Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien four times, Congress' Pramod Tiwari, Rashriya Janata Dal's Manoj Kumar Jha, Communist Party of India's Binoy Viswam, Communist Party of India-Marxist's John Brittas, and TMC's Sukhendu Sekhar Roy once each, officials said.

Patra insisted he would not allow points of order if the members continued to be in the well.

The assertion worked and the points of order were raised by members from their seats, leading to a few brief moments of order in the house.