LIVE news updates: Lok Sabha has passed The Telecommunications Bill, 2023

Catch all the latest LIVE updates from across the globe here

8:57 PM

Lok Sabha has passed The Telecommunications Bill, 2023

6:00 PM

In Tirunelveli district, all schools to remain closed tomorrow, 21st Dec in wake of a flood-like situation

Colleges will function as usual but the colleges which were used as relief camps to remain closed.

6:00 PM

INDIA bloc Floor Leaders to have a meeting tomorrow morning at the office of Rajya Sabha LoP

The alliance's MPs will march to Vijay Chowk from Parliament on the issue of suspension of Opposition MPs.

5:57 PM

Delhi HC orders removal of concrete around trees, questions point of such 'beautification'

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the authorities here to immediately remove the concrete around trees in Bhikaji Cama Place Complex and questioned the rationale behind such "beautification".

 

Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and forest department officials on a contempt plea over the concretisation of the trees and the failure to take prompt action on a complaint regarding the damage caused to the trees.

 

Petitioner Aditya N Prasad said he learnt in August that an enclosed platform (chabutara) was being constructed around the standing trees in the Bhikaji Cama Place Complex by the DDA for "beautification" purposes.

 

"What is this beautification? On pavement you make concrete structures? It is for trees. You are restricting movement. What is the point?" Justice Singh asked during the hearing.

5:33 PM

Criminal Code Bills passed in Lok Sabha with most Opposition MPs suspended

Three bills to replace the colonial-era criminal laws were passed in Lok Sabha today, virtually in the absence of the Opposition.
 

The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023, were passed as 143 members of the Opposition were suspended over the last two days.

3:02 PM

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi comments on the ongoing Dhankhar mimicry row

2:48 PM

Two more MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for the winter session of Parliament

2:38 PM

Delhi excise policy case: CM Kejriwal to skip ED questioning, leaves for Vipassana course

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal left for an undisclosed location for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course on Wednesday, days after he was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning on December 21. 

The summons by ED was issued in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy. This is the second time the central agency issued a summon to him. However, officials said that Delhi CM was scheduled to leave for his Vipassana course on Tuesday, but was unable to do so since he was busy with the INDIA bloc meeting. They further said that Kejriwal left around 1:30 pm today for the pre-scheduled meditation course

 

2:30 PM

Travesty of parliamentary democracy, says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on suspension of 141 members

Slamming the government over the suspension of over 140 MPs, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday claimed that a "dubious record" had been created as in no country so many lawmakers had been suspended together and alleged that our entire parliamentary democracy has been "betrayed and reduced to a travesty".

Speaking with reporters after participating in the opposition protest over the suspension of MPs, Tharoor, who was himself suspended on Tuesday, said that with the suspension of so many opposition MPs, the history of parliamentary democracy has been "besmirched" in our country.

1:52 PM

Mamata Banerjee comments on the ongoing Dhankar mimicry row, here's what she had to say

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has now commented on the ongoing Dhankhar mimicry issue. Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee mimicked Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. She played down the issue and said that it was not meant to be disrespectful. She further added that we respect everyone and nobody would have known about it if Rahul Gandhi had not recorded it.

The TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee also came forward to say he did not intend to hurt anyone, however, he has not offered any apology as well.

 

1:27 PM

Mimicry issue: Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan says, "It is absolutely wrong"

1:13 PM

Maharashtra CM Shinde says caste census decision was taken after taking opinion from all sections of society

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said a decision on caste-based census will be taken after taking the opinion of all sections of society and keeping sentiments of the people in mind.

 

Eknath Shinde visited the memorials of RSS founder K B Hedgewar and second 'sarsanghchalak' MS Golwalkar in Reshimbagh area and paid his tributes to them.

 

12:50 PM

Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin reviews rescue, relief operations as floods batter southern districts in state

12:29 PM

Congress slams BJP over TMC MP mimicry issue, says entire Modi ecosystem now galvanised

On Wednesday, Congress hit out at the BJP-led Central government for its criticism of a Trinamool Congress leader's mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. The grand old party took a dig and said the "entire Modi ecosystem" is now being galvanised on the "so-called mimicry non-issue".

 

The party further added that it remains silent on how a BJP MP "facilitated the entry of two intruders" into the Lok Sabha and on the suspension of over 140 MPs."

 

12:08 PM

Mamata meets PM Modi, says he assured a joint meeting over release of pending funds to be held

11:48 AM

Parliament Winter Session: Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned twice amid protest

On Wednesday, the Upper House was adjourned twice amid the ongoing protests by the members of the opposition parties. 

 

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11:30 am over the security breach issue, during which some intruders jumped from the visitor's gallery and opened canisters of yellow smoke on December 13, 2001. The Opposition has been demanding a statement from the home minister or prime minister, following which the proceedings of the Parliament have been impacted. 

11:21 AM

Rajya Sabha LoP Kharge comments on the ongoing protest after 141 MPs were suspended

10:58 AM

Here's what Congress' Sonia Gandhi said at Congress Parliamentary Party meet

• Congress MP Sonia Gandhi said that the poll results in Chhattisgarh, MP, Rajasthan were very disappointing. She further stated that the party is facing challenges, yet they are confident that their fortitude, and resilience will see them through. Our ideology, values are guiding light, she said.

• Lok Sabha polls are in a few months. Gandhi said that they had their tasks cut out both as a party and as a group member of the INDIA bloc. Taking a dig at the Bhartiya Janata Party, she further said that the BJP has methodically weakened the spirit of India's unity.

• "We must channel our disappointment into a positive drive for coming LS polls"
   

10:49 AM

Opposition MPs chant 'Save Democracy' after 141 MPs suspended from Parliament

10:36 AM

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrives at Parliament to meet PM Modi

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament today

10:31 AM

Mansukh Mandaviya holds high-level meeting to review preparedness of health facilities

On Wednesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a high-level review meeting in the national capital. The meeting was held with the representatives of all states and Union territories on the preparedness of health facilities and services. 

 

The meeting comes in light of the recent upsurge in respiratory illnesses such as Influenza-like illness, Severe Acute Respiratory Illness

10:16 AM

Sonia Gandhi speaks in Congress Parliamentary Party meeting at Central Hall of Parliament House

 

"Democracy has been strangulated by this government.  Never before have so many Opposition Members of Parliament been suspended from the house, and that too, simply for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand."

9:55 AM

Several structures submerged as the Tamraparni River in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli is flooded due to heavy rains

9:36 AM

Parliament security breach: Congress asks why BJP MP who facilitated intruders' entry hasn't been questioned

Amid the ongoing ruckus over the security breach incident in Parliament, Congress has now slammed the Centre and asked why BJP MP Pratap Simha "who facilitated the entry of the two intruders" into the Lok Sabha has not been questioned even a week after the incident.

 

Congress' attack comes a day after 49 more Members of Parliament were suspended from Lok Sabha for their unruly behaviour. The total number of suspended MPs from both Houses now stands at 141.

9:15 AM

Delhi police tracks 4 in Rashmika Mandanna deep fake profile case, hunt for key conspirator on

Delhi Police on Wednesday said that it has tracked down four suspects involved in the deep fake case of actor Rashmika Mandanna. However, the police said that the suspects were uploaders and not creators and they are looking for the key conspirator in this case

8:59 AM

US President Joe Biden warns democrats, says Trump's victory in 2024 would mean loss of democracy

US President Joe Biden has now delivered a fresh warning about the stakes of the 2024 election. He said that the democrats must rally to defeat former President Donald Trump or risk losing democracy. Biden further added, "Every head of state I’ve come in contact with has said ‘you’ve got to win, you’ve got to win.’ It’s less about me, unfortunately, I think than about the other guy."

President Joe Biden's campaign has focused on Trump as the likely if not certain, Republican nominee braces for a rematch of 2020. Biden has said repeatedly that the democratic system of the country is at stake, even as polls show he and Trump in a close match-up as Biden’s approval ratings sag.

 

8:56 AM

131 killed, over 700 injured in the deadliest earthquake in China in a decade

Chinese authorities on Tuesday said that a strong midnight earthquake rattled a mountainous region of northwestern China, which reduced the homes to rubble, leaving residents outside on a below-freezing winter night and killing 131 people in the nation's deadliest quake in nine years. Officials said that the 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck just before midnight on Monday and injured over 700 people, damaged roads, and knocked out power and communication lines in Qinghai and Gansu provinces.

Many people who lost their homes spent a cold winter night in tents erected hastily at evacuation sites, while emergency workers continued to search for the missing in the collapsed buildings and landslide

 

8:54 AM

M K Stalin meets PM Modi, requests for Rs 2,000 cr interim relief for rain-battered districts in state

On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to release Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) in order to boost the efforts to support livelihood that is affected by the incidents of recent flooding in the southern districts of the state.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Modi, Stalin said that this interim relief from the Centre will aid in providing livelihood assistance to the people who have been affected and helping them take up temporary rehabilitation works in the Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Tenkasi districts.