The government on Tuesday pushed through four legislations in the Rajya Sabha in three hours after the Opposition members staged a walkout over the denial of discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

After being passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday, the National Sports Governance Bill, the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, the Income-tax Bill and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill were included in the list of business in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

During Zero Hour on Tuesday, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the four bills were put on the agenda for discussion and copies were circulated through the members’ portal, but acknowledged that reasonable time was not available to members to study and submit their amendments. He gave members till noon to submit amendments to two sports bills and till 1pm for the two finance bills.

Trinamool Congress member Derek O’Brien said enlisting of bills without giving members adequate time to study them amounted to a violation of Section 29 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Council of States.

The Opposition MPs had submitted 21 notices under Rule 267 for suspension of business for a discussion on the SIR and three other issues. Harivansh rejected them. The House was adjourned twice as the Opposition raised slogans against the SIR.

At 3pm, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya moved the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rose to protest the denial of discussion on the SIR, prompting the majority of Opposition members to stage a walkout. Both bills were passed in two hours.

The IT and taxation bills were discussed for a little over one hour and approved.

Among the Opposition parties that took part in the discussions were the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress Party and the Bharat Rashtra Samiti.

Cow

The Centre has no plan to enact any law declaring the cow as the national animal, the government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.