Parliament

Sri Lanka's new law scrapping pensions for parliamentarians takes effect

The Sri Lankan government has gazetted the Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Act after it was passed by parliament with an overwhelming majority on Tuesday, fulfilling a key campaign promise of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In Sri Lanka, a member of parliament was entitled to a pension after serving a five-year term. On Tuesday, lawmakers passed the bill by 154 votes in the 225-member House, with only two against. The remaining legislators were not present during the vote. The gazette has been dated Friday. On February 6, the Supreme Court had determined that the Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill can be passed in Parliament with a simple majority. The main aim of the bill was to repeal the Parliamentary Pensions Law No 1 of 1977 which had established a non-contributory life time pension to persons who have ceased to be members of parliament. The move caused outrage among former parliamentarians who sought the Supreme Court intervention without success to see it being ...

Lok Sabha concludes first part of Budget session; to meet again on March 9

The stormy first part of the Budget session, which saw heated exchanges over the India-US interim trade deal and unpublished memoir of former army chief M M Naravane, concluded Friday and the House will now reassemble on March 9. The three-week recess period will allow standing committees to examine allocations to various central ministries given in the Union Budget. Earlier in the day, the House was adjourned for one hour after Opposition members raised slogans demanding resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Puri. The opposition members were also protesting against the India-US interim trade agreement. The first part of the Budget Session began on January 28 with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of the two Houses. The Lok Sabha witnessed dramatic scenes and repeated adjournments from February 2 afternoon after the Chair disallowed Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to quote from the excerpts of the memoir of Naravane relating to the India-China conflic

Govt shelves motion against Rahul Gandhi as BJP MP moves notice: Rijiju

Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said on Friday that the government has shelved a plan to bring a motion against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for using unparliamentary language against the prime minister, as a BJP MP has submitted a notice to initiate a "substantive motion" against the Congress leader on the same issue. Speaking to reporters here, the Union minister stated that the speaker would be consulted on whether to send the matter to the House privilege committee, the ethics committee, or bring it directly to the Lok Sabha. "It has not yet been decided," he said. He noted that since a private member has already submitted a notice for the motion, the government will refrain from introducing its own motion. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey told PTI Videos on Thursday that he has given a notice to initiate a "substantive motion" against Gandhi, demanding the cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership and calling for him to be barred from contesting

Govt must implement New Public Sector Enterprise Policy: Parl panel

A parliamentary panel on Thursday emphasised the need for the implementation of new Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) Policy without delay for achieving the intended objectives of fiscal prudence. The New PSE Policy for Atmanirbhar Bharat envisages that loss-making public sector undertakings (PSUs) in non-strategic sectors should be considered for privatisation or closure. "This policy aims to promote fiscal prudence and efficient resource allocation. However, not much headway has been made in this regard as the proposal for disinvestment of any non-strategic CPSE has not been approved since the guidelines were issued in December 2021," Standing Committee on Finance said in its report. New Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) Policy for Atma Nirbhar Bharat, which also provides overall guidance on strategic disinvestment, was notified on February 4, 2021, with the approval of the Cabinet. The policy intends to minimise the presence of the government in PSEs across all sectors of the ...

Oppn MPs to protest US trade deal; Manish Tewari moves adjournment motion

Through an adjournment motion, Tewari sought an immediate government statement, alleging the India-US interim trade deal includes commitments on Russian oil purchases and farm concessions

Budget session: LS to present reports, discuss Labour Law Amendment Bill

BJP MPs Harendra Singh Malik and Rajkumar Chahar will also present reports (in Hindi and English) of the Committee on Government Assurances

Industrial Relations Code Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

Seeking to avoid any "future unwarranted complication" over continuity of certain laws replaced by the Industrial Relations Code of 2020, an amendment bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Union Labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya introduced the 'Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 through supplementary agenda soon after the Question Hour. According to statement of objects and reasons of the proposed law, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 replaces the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, relating to trade unions, industrial employment and industrial disputes. It contains savings provisions under section 104 to ensure continuity and legal certainty. "Though the repeal has occurred by operation of section 104 of the Code itself, there is a possibility of future confusion being created on a misconceived ground that the Act delegates the power to repeal the said enactments to the .

Budget pegs FY27 total expenditure at ₹53.47 trillion: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the government has envisaged a total expenditure of Rs 53.47 lakh crore for the next financial year, up 7.7 per cent from the current fiscal ending March 31. According to the revised estimate, the size of the Budget for the current fiscal is Rs 49.64 lakh crore, lower from Rs 50.65 lakh crore estimated in February 2025. The Budget for fiscal 2024-25 was at Rs 46.52 lakh crore. Total expenditure is pegged at Rs 53.47 lakh crore in the next fiscal, much more than tax receipts, she said in reply to a discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. The government aims for tax receipts of Rs 44.04 lakh crore, 8 per cent higher than the previous year. Talking about capex, she said, the government has made the highest-ever allocation of Rs 12.2 lakh crore, which is 4.4 per cent of the GDP. Besides, she said, the government is following the fiscal discipline and has projected the fiscal deficit at 4.3 per cent of the GDP or Rs 16

'One-sided': Opposition MPs flag concerns over India-US trade deal

With the Lok Sabha deadlock broken after a notice to remove Speaker Om Birla, Opposition parties accused the government of signing a one-sided India-US trade deal that could hurt farmers

PM's absence in LS was an act of fear, Speaker under BJP pressure: Cong MPs

Congress' women MPs in the Lok Sabha wrote to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, claiming that under pressure from the ruling party to defend the "non-appearance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he made grave allegations against them. They urged the Speaker to act as an impartial custodian of the Lower House. Their letter to the Speaker comes days after Birla stated in the House that he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. Speaking about the letter signed by her, along with other women MPs of the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "There is so much pressure on the Speaker which is not right. There is no question of anyone raising a hand on the PM or do anything like this. There are 11 women MPs, they are all serious MPs." "He (Birla) should not

Parliament session: Both Houses to begin discussion on Union Budget 2026-27

Both Houses of Parliament are scheduled to begin discussion on the Union Budget 2026-27 on Monday, which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.FM Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in Lok Sabha, for the ninth consecutive time. Asserting that the Budget is driven by "Yuvashakti" and based on "three kartavyas," she proposed seven high-speed rail corridors, new dedicated freight corridors, and the operationalisation of 20 national waterways over the next five years.The Centre also announced an increase in the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on futures and options (F & O) to discourage speculative trading.While the NDA has welcomed the Budget, the Opposition alleged an exclusion of the marginalised communities. The Secular Progressive Alliance, led by the DMK in Tamil Nadu, has called a protest against the Budget on February 12.While the Houses are scheduled for general discussion on the Budget, the Opposition MPs are likely to demand a ...

Parliament Session: Lok Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget

The House will meet at 11 am to transact government business, beginning with Question Hour

1 in 4 superfast trains runs below threshold speed, says House panel

A parliamentary panel has flagged that about 25 per cent of superfast trains run below the prescribed speed threshold but continue to levy higher fares, urging a review of speed and punctuality benchm

PM Modi says EU, US trade deals open new opportunities for youth, SMEs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's trade deals with the EU and the US mark a shift in the global order in the country's favour, while the Opposition disrupted proceedings in the Lok Sabha

Indian Railways' punctuality falls from 90% to 73.62%: Parliament panel

Parliamentary committee raised concerns over the Railways' method of measuring delays, stating that a 15-minute buffer allowance dilutes the accuracy of performance assessment

LS passes Motion of Thanks on President's address without PM's response

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President's address without the customary reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid vociferous protests by the opposition. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla put the opposition amendments to the Motion of Thanks to vote, which were rejected. The Speaker then read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to both Houses of Parliament on January 28, which was passed by a voice vote, amid sloganeering by the opposition members. As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2:00 PM.

Diversifying energy sourcing amid changing global dynamics: Goyal

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament that India protected key food and agriculture interests in the trade deal with the US, while both sides addressed sensitive areas

Bedlam in Lok Sabha goes on over ex-Army chief Naravane's 'memoirs'

Opposition protests over ex-Army chief Naravane's memoir derail Lok Sabha for third day, forcing adjournment and delaying PM Modi's reply

Rahul displays Naravane memoir, claims PM didn't fulfil his responsibility

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cited former Army chief MM Naravane's unpublished "memoir" to claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not fulfil his responsibility during the India-China conflict in 2020 and passed the buck on to Naravane. Addressing reporters in the premises of Parliament House complex, Gandhi held up Naravane's unpublished "memoir" and said he would like the youngsters in India to know that this 'book' exists despite the government claiming otherwise. "The Speaker has said this book does not exist, the government has said it does not exist, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh ji has said this book does not exist. Every youngster in India to see this book exists," Gandhi said. He said Naravane has written the full account of what happened in Ladakh. Gandhi said he has been told that he cannot quote from this "memoir" in the Lok Sabha. "The main line is what the PM said - 'jo uchit samjho woh karo'. When the chief of army staff Gen Naravane called .

Sensitive sectors safeguarded in US trade deal: Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha

Parliament Budget session: Piyush Goyal said that India protected sensitive sectors like agriculture and dairy in India-US trade deal, adding that labour-intensive sectors will benefit