A RAF jawan mans a teargas gun before the start of the relay on Rajpath. (AFP)

New Delhi, April 17: The traffic snarl because of the Olympic torch relay saw its ripple effect in the Rajya Sabha attendance this afternoon.

House proceedings were held up because the minimum number of MPs — 25 per cent of the House’s strength — could not assemble post-lunch.

Apparently, many MPs who live in the nearby South Avenue went home for lunch, only to find getting back a tough task as the entire stretch of Rajpath was blocked by security personnel to ensure a trouble-free torch run. Some also took it lightly as today was the last working day of the week, tomorrow being a holiday.

In desperation to gather the required strength, minister of state for parliamentary affairs V. Narayansamy plucked MP Satish Sharma from a news conference called by CPM MP Sitaram Yechury.

“What happened Captain (Satish Sharma)?” an astonished Yechury asked, as Sharma hurried out of the meet.

Later, Narayansamy was heard explaining that “there was some issue in quorum because of the traffic but we managed it and the House conducted the business”.

The Rajya Sabha had broken at 2pm after a long reply by food and civil supplies minister Sharad Pawar on price rise.

It was to resume at 3pm, after the hour-long lunch recess. But for 15 minutes, the House could not be called as hardly 10 members were there.

Some MPs were heard talking about breach of privilege for the delay as “holding back” an MP from reaching Parliament amounts to that.