Parliament Winter Session HIGHLIGHTS: Lok Sabha begins discussion on electoral reforms

Parliament Winter Session HIGHLIGHTS: The discussion on electoral reforms continued, with speakers from the BJP-led NDA and its allies accusing the Opposition of double standards

2:51 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE update: Entire discussion was to discredit Nehru, says Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh said the government’s discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was aimed at discrediting Jawaharlal Nehru. He added that insulting Nehru is similar to insulting all who fought in the freedom struggle.

 

 

 

 

2:39 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Human rights must be 'everyday essentials', says RS Chairman

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan urged lawmakers to ensure human rights remain a reality for all, especially marginalised groups, marking the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He highlighted this year’s theme, “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials,” noting that rights are positive, essential, and attainable.

1:42 PM

Scrapping vehicle too costly for truck owners, allow them to replace engines: DMK MP in RS

DMK leader KRN Rajeshkumar on Wednesday urged the government to permit commercial truck owners to replace old engines instead of scrapping entire vehicles under the vehicle scrappage policy. Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Rajeshkumar said the policy’s aim of reducing pollution and enhancing road safety was “certainly an excellent initiative”.

 

However, he argued that mandatory scrapping of commercial vehicles, particularly trucks over 20 years old, along with steep fitness certificate fees, is “severely affecting the livelihood of countless truck owners”.

1:21 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm

The Upper House will resume its discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram when it reconvenes.

1:20 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: Congress MP Venugopal questions Election Commission’s neutrality

Congress MP KC Venugopal said the role of an impartial electoral umpire has eroded, alleging that the institution now “collapses under political pressure” and is turning partisan. The right to vote, he stressed, is not a mercy granted by the government but a fundamental pillar of democracy.

Quoting Rahul Gandhi, he said “vote-chori is an anti-national act” and accused the Election Commission of enabling such practices. Venugopal also recalled that ahead of the 2024 general election, the Congress party’s bank accounts were frozen over what he described as a minor, two-week delay in filing income tax returns. “Is this how a democracy functions?” he asked.

12:47 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: LS Speaker declines adjournment pleas, moves to listed business

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he had received multiple adjournment notices seeking suspension of House business to discuss various issues, but did not admit any of them. Following this, members laid papers on the table of the House as per the day’s list of business.

 

12:25 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: LS Speaker urges members to keep queries short during Question Hour

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked members to keep their questions brief and focused to allow more queries to be addressed during the Question Hour.  Birla has emphasised that at least 20 oral questions should be taken up during the hour. Question Hour is the first hour of a Lok Sabha sitting, during which MPs hold ministers accountable by asking questions, either ‘starred’ (requiring oral answers or follow-ups) or ‘unstarred’ (written responses).

12:16 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: Question Hour begins in Rajya Sabha

12:10 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: Parliamentary members raise multiple issues on Indian Railways

Members of Parliament posed several questions regarding the Indian Railways, covering a range of concerns. Some sought updates on specific train routes, such as the Nandyal-Guntkal line, while others highlighted delays in the construction of stations and railway over-bridges in their constituencies. Accessibility challenges were raised, including difficulties caused by high carriage steps, alongside calls for improved hygiene in train and station toilets.

11:50 AM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: Harsh Vardhan Shringla flags challenges facing Darjeeling tea industry

Former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla highlighted several issues impacting Darjeeling tea production and quality. He pointed to low-quality tea imports, climate-related stress, labour shortages, and price volatility as key challenges affecting the industry. Shringla also noted a decline in both the quality and total production of Darjeeling tea. He raised concerns over low-quality tea being sold domestically and abroad under the Darjeeling label.