Considering the Opposition’s demand for division of votes during passage of Bills, BJP president Amit Shah today asked all party MPs to ensure their maximum presence in Parliament to back draft legislations.

Shah’s direction came while addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, a day after the Lok Sabha passed the Indian Medical Council Bill, 2019, with division of 260-48 votes, sources said.

The BJP has 303 members in the 545-member Lok Sabha. The senior leadership, including the Prime Minister, has repeatedly stressed on the need for presence in Parliament and also expressed displeasure over absentee members.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the BJP chief also asked MPs, including Union Ministers, to attend a two-day orientation programme being held by the party on August 3-4, calling the attendance must. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also speak at the programme on parliamentary procedure and rules and the party’s ideology.

Meanwhile, Joshi said, “Parliament has so far passed 15 Bills. Six legislations have been passed by the Lok Sabha and are yet to get the Rajya Sabha nod, while four cleared by the Upper House have to be cleared by the Lower House. As many as 11 other Bills will be tabled in both Houses in the coming days.” He requested all Parliamentarians to sit late so that all these could be passed. “The session will go down in history as one of the most productive sessions in the recent times,” he added.