The Lok Sabha has passed the Finance Bill 2013 by a voice vote in the absence of the opposition parties. Speaker Meira Kumar guillotined the financial proposals of various central ministries for the financial year 2013-14. Moving the Bill, Finance Minister Mr P Chidambaram said there is no proposal to introduce wealth tax on agricultural land. He said that he is moving an official amendment to allay the apprehensions arising from the Judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard. Mr Chidambaram said that he had consulted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also obtained the approval of President Pranab Mukherjee last night. He said the official amendment makes it abundantly clear that there is no proposal to impose wealth tax. This was, however, objected to by the Shiromani Akali Dal members, who alleged that they had received a number of notices from the Income Tax department. Later, they welcomed the official amendment.
Earlier, the House passed the Appropriation (Railways) Bill 2013 authorising certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2013-14, without discussion. The bill was moved by Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. When the House reassembled at noon, Speaker Meira Kumar informed members of yesterday's decision at the meeting of the floor leaders to pass the Finance Bill and other budgetary proposals today itself without any discussion. This was, however, objected to by Trinamool Congress leaders. Responding to their objections, Meira Kumar said there were instances of passing the Finance Bill without discussion in the past under particular circumstances. She said it pained her to dispense with the discussion.

Before staging a walk-out, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj held the government responsible for the present impasse due to the series of scams that came to light one after another. She said it was the bounden duty of the opposition to raise its voice against the large-scale financial irregularities in the larger interest of the country and the people.

She made it clear that the opposition is extending its cooperation to the government to pass only the finance-related bills.
Members belonging to the JD(U), Left Parties, AIADMK, DMK, BJD and Telugu Desam also staged a walkout.