Missing MPs leave govt embarrassed in Rajya Sabha; opposition passes amended bill

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government could not pass its original Bill regarding the Backward Classes Commission in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, July 31, after it was outnumbered by the opposition party, leaving the government embarrassed.

NCBC asks Centre to include orphans under OBC quota

30 BJP MPs absent

The government doesn't have a majority in the upper house of the Parliament, and in the absence of 30 MPs, it was not only left embarrassed in the assembly, but also gave the opposition a chance to reconstitute the commission and change its composition with the amendments passed to the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill.

The bill -- aiming to grant constitutional status to the OBC Commission -- saw an amendment, where in, the number of members were increased from three to five, including a woman and a minority candidate of OBC category.

There were only 126 MPs present in 245-member House during the voting. While 74 MPs had supported the bill, 52 rejected it. The Opposition had a clear edge over the NDA.

The BJP has 57 MPs in the Upper House, with the other NDA constituents taking the tally up to 75.

However, the bill will now go back to the Lok Sabha as it was not passed in its original form.

Earlier in April, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with 360 MPs voting in its favour and two against it.

The BJP legislators were absent during Monday's meeting despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's repetitive instructions to BJP MPs to take legislative business of both the houses seriously and be present in the Parliament.

The MPs will be attending a Parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday to address the absence of the BJP legislatives on Monday. PM Modi and other top government ministers are likely to attend the meeting, according to PTI.