New Delhi, July 23: Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi today rejected an Opposition-sponsored adjournment motion on the issue of "dropping" of conspiracy charge against Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and seven others in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Giving a ruling after a two-hour impromptu debate, marked by heated exchanges between the opposition and the ruling benches, on the admissibility of the motion, Joshi, however, observed that he would allow a short duration discussion on it provided the members refrained from raising issues which were being adjudicated by the Rae Bareilly court.

Dissatisfied with the Speaker's ruling, the entire Opposition staged a walkout.
Bureau Report