Only voice vote accepted: LS Speaker after TMC member objects to raising of hand by Hardeep Puri

TMC member Saugata Roy on Wednesday questioned Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri raising his hand every time a clause in a bill was put for voice vote, saying a member of the Rajya Sabha cannot do so in the Lower House. Hardeep Puri is a member of Rajya Sabha and he is raising his hand during voting.

TMC member Saugata Roy on Wednesday questioned Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri raising his hand every time a clause in a bill was put for voice vote, saying a member of the Rajya Sabha cannot do so in the Lower House. ''Hardeep Puri is a member of Rajya Sabha and he is raising his hand during voting. This should not be done,'' Roy said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) member raised the matter during the passage of the National Anti-Doping Bill in Lok Sabha. Responding to the charge, Puri said he was so “emotionally attached” with the issue that he invariably raised his hand. In a lighter vein, he added that he would have raised his hand even in the central hall of parliament while sipping a cup of tea.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said although the point raised by Roy was serious, but it was not correct on his part to raise objection as merely raising of a hand by any member does not amount to supporting a bill or its provision.

''... only voice vote is considered. There is no system of raising hands here. You (Roy) raised a very serious question... even though he (Puri) raised his hand, your objection was not right,'' the Speaker told the TMC member. PTI PK SRY