Parliament

National parties fall short of 33% women's representation: ADR report

Only 10% fielded in 20 Assembly polls since passage of women's Bill in 2023, says report

Parl panel to study India's economic conditions amid global uncertainties

As conflicts and geopolitical uncertainties around tariffs cloud domestic growth, a key parliamentary committee has decided to examine the evolving economic condition of the country. According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the Standing Committee on Finance has chosen 'Evolving Economic Conditions in the Country' as an additional subject for detailed examination during the year 2025-26. Parliamentary panels select their subjects soon after they are constituted. But they are at liberty to select additional subjects keeping in mind evolving circumstances. Indian economy is estimated to have grown at 7.7 per cent in 2025-26 (April-March), with a robust 7.8 per cent growth in the January-March quarter. India's GDP had grown at 7.1 per cent in the 2024-25 fiscal year. However, the RBI estimates GDP growth to slow to 6.6 per cent in current fiscal year as the ongoing conflict in West Asia pushes up cost of fertiliser and fuel globally. India is a net importer of both crude oil and fertiliser.

Ex-LS Secretary General, constitution expert Subhash Kashyap passes away

Former Lok Sabha Secretary General and constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap passed away on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 97. Kashyap's end came at around 10 am at his Sainik Farm residence, officials of the Lok Sabha Secretariat said. He was suffering from age-related issues and died of cardio-pulmonary arrest, they said. Kashyap was part of the high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to prepare a legal framework on simultaneous elections. Author of over 100 books, he served as the secretary general of Lok Sabha from 1983 to 1990. He served Parliament for over 37 years from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru's first Lok Sabha to the 9th Lok Sabha. Born in 1929 in a family of freedom fighters at Chadpur in Bijnor in the then United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), he actively participated in the national struggle for Independence as a teenager, leading local student movements first in Bijnor and later Meerut. He received his higher education and ...

Parliamentary panel flags weak private investment, FPI outflows

Parliamentary committee raises concerns over weak private investment, foreign capital outflows and global economic headwinds

Parliament panel to review groundwork for VB-G RAM G rollout on May 20

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj is scheduled to hold a briefing on May 20 with representatives of the Department of Rural Development on the preparatory work undertaken for implementation of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G RAM G). According to information shared on the Parliament website, officials from the Ministry of Rural Development will brief the panel on the subject, "Preparatory work done for implementation of Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G RAM G)." The meeting comes days after the Centre announced that the VB-G RAM G Act will come into force across the country from July 1, replacing the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The government described the move as a "historic transition" in India's rural development architecture aligned with the vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047". Under the new framework, every rural

Datanomics: Fewer sittings, but no decline in average Bills passed

Historical data shows that 4,070 Bills were passed by both Houses across 12,395 sittings during 1952-2025

Parliamentary committees on insurance must expand scope, sharpen focus

As India's insurance sector evolves, experts call for a dedicated parliamentary panel to address emerging risks, consumer protection and regulatory gaps

StatsGuru: Women's fair political representation still a far cry

Parliament rejects 33% women's reservation Bill, as data shows persistently low representation of women in legislatures despite gains at grassroots levels

Bill of contention: Failure highlights lack of consensus-building

Women's quota Bill defeat exposes political mistrust and flaws in linking reservation to delimitation, raising questions over consensus and timing

Rushed laws, reduced debate: Is Parliament losing its deliberative core?

Fewer sittings, rushed laws and shrinking debate raise concerns that Parliament's deliberative role is weakening amid rising disruptions and reduced scrutiny

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned sine die, Budget session concludes

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Saturday, drawing curtains on the Budget session that began in January. As soon as the House met at 11 am, Speaker Om Birla read out his concluding remarks, following which he adjourned the House sine die (for an indefinite period). The session concluded a day after a Constitution amendment bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies by 2029 by increasing the number of seats in the Lower House from 543 to 816 was defeated by a division of votes. A three-day sitting of Parliament was held from April 16 to discuss and pass the bill along with two other enabling draft laws.

A divided House: Bill to implement women's quota fails Lok Sabha test

Government fails to secure two-thirds majority as Opposition rejects compromise; related delimitation and UT bills withdrawn after defeat

Nari Shakti Amendment Bill fails two-thirds vote test, defeated in Lok Sabha

Out of 489 members present, 278 voted in favour, while 211 voted against the proposed amendment

Delimitation, UT quota Bills put on hold after women's quota Bill loss

"Opposition loses historic opportunity to honour women," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said after the Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha

'An attempt to change electoral map': Rahul Gandhi on Delimitation bill

Rahul Gandhi alleged delimitation is an attempt to redraw India's electoral map, warns it could reduce representation of some states; govt hits back, calls remarks 'misleading'

No discrimination against any state under women quota Bills, says PM

PM Modi and HM Shah defend women's quota amendments in Lok Sabha, reject Opposition claims of bias against southern states and warn against blocking the legislation

BJP president Nitin Nabin, 15 others take oath as Rajya Sabha MPs

BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Union minister Ram Nath Thakur and senior Congress leader Abhishek Sanghvi, along with 13 other newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs, took oath of office on Thursday. Vice-President of India and Chairman of Rajya Sabha C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the 16 newly elected/re-elected members of Rajya Sabha, representing Bihar, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. Of the 16 MPs, eight are from the BJP and three from its allies. The other five MPs belong to Congress. After being elected as the BJP's national president, Nabin has moved to the Upper House following his resignation from the Bihar legislative assembly. He took the oath in Hindi amid the thumping of desks. Along with him, Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur also took the oath. He has been re-elected to the House from Bihar. Upendra Kushwaha (RLM) and Shivesh Kumar (BJP) also represent Bihar. Terash Gowalla (BJP), Jogen Mohan (BJP), and Pramod Boro (UPP-L)

Women quota law: Voting on 3 Bills in LS to be held at 4 PM on Friday

Voting on the three bills in Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission will be held at 4 PM Friday, according to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Birla said there would be a debate of around 15-18 hours on the bills as voting would take place on 4 PM on Friday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested a 12-hour debate on the bills but said the decision to extend that would be taken by the Speaker. Earlier, Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Amit Shah moved to introduce three bills in Lok Sabha to amend the women's quota law and set up a delimitation commission amid protests by the opposition, which termed the proposed legislations anti-constitutional. 'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026', 'The Delimitation Bill, 2026' and 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2026' were introduced in the House. According to the draft Constitution amendment bill, Lok Sabha seats will be increased to a maximum o

Delimitation and proportionality: Why southern states are raising concerns

As the govt considers increasing Lok Sabha seats, concerns are rising in southern states that a population-based delimitation could reduce their share and alter India's federal balance

PM Modi to address Lok Sabha at 3 pm today as key Bills introduced

The opposition has raised concerns over the proposed changes, particularly the plan to redraw constituencies and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from the current 543 to a maximum of 850