NEW DELHI: The monsoon session of Parliament ended on Thursday with souring of ties between main Opposition BJP and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

The matter came to a head after BJP veteran L K Advani was not just barred from speaking on the cash-for-vote scam when the House opened, but his microphone was switched off in the Lok Sabha. Advani insisted on making his statement, and the Speaker instructed that "nothing would go on record" that is being seen as an affront to a leader of Advani's stature. The Opposition benches erupted at the 'gag order', and House had to be adjourned. Opposition MPs rushed out to stage a protest at the Gandhi statue on Parliament premises.

The incident prompted Advani and leader of Opposition in LS Sushma Swaraj to boycott the Speaker's end-of-session tea gathering. However, deputy leader of Opposition Gopinath Munde, Ramesh Bais (chief whip) and MP Shahnawaz Hussain were sent by Swaraj to register that the party had not boycotted the tea session.

Advani said, Thursday was the first time in his parliamentary career since 1970 that he had given a notice under Rule 388, which stipulates that the Question Hour is suspended to raise an important issue.

After the House reopened at 12 noon, the Speaker allowed Advani to speak but din at the treasury benches drowned his voice. There was no attempt from parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal to bring order to the House.