New Delhi, September 20: The Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha submitted a no-confidence motion against Harivansh Singh, the Janata Dal (United) lawmaker, who was recently re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of the House. The unprecedented move was adopted by the anti-BJP bloc after the passage of the controversial farm bills in the Rajya Sabha. Agricultural Reform Bills: Rajya Sabha Passes 2 Farm Bills Amid Protests by Opposition Leaders And Farmers.

Two of the three controversial agrarian bills - Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 - were passed by a voice vote today in the Upper House. Farm Bills: What Are The 3 Legislations Brought by Modi Government? Why Are Farmers Protesting? All You Need to Know.

When the Bill was first taken up for passage at around 1:20 pm, members from the Opposition benches rushed to the Well and snatched papers from the Speaker's desk. After a brief adjournment, the House resumed at 1:41 pm and immediately passed the two contentious legislations via a voice vote.

Update by ANI

"He (Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh) should safeguard the democratic traditions but instead, his attitude today harmed the democratic traditions and processes. So we have decided to move a no-confidence motion against him," senior Congress MP Ahmed Patel said.

Trinamool Congress lawmaker Derek O'Brien, who snatched the Bill papers from Harivansh and tore it off during the first attempt to pass the legislations, called his conduct anti-democratic. The passage of the Bills without due consultation with all stakeholders will lead to a wave of protests across the nation, he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 20, 2020 04:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).