Page 24 - Parliament Winter Session

Oppn leaders protest in Parl, demand discussion on India-China faceoff

She said that when facing "a significant national challenge," it has been the tradition to bring Parliament into confidence

Winter Session: Sonia Gandhi chairs Congress Parliamentary Party meeting

Amid the Opposition's offensive against the government over the India-China border tensions, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday chaired a meeting of all party MPs in Parliament to discuss the strategy for the remainder of the Winter Session. The Congress Parliamentary Party meeting was held at Parliament's Central Hall with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and all party MPs in attendance. Gandhi is the chairperson of the CPP. Later in the day, the Congress will stage a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex to demand a discussion on the India-China border tensions. Leaders of other opposition parties are expected to join the protest. Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the India-China border tensions and the latest Chinese transgressions since the Winter Session started on December 7.

Manish Tewari gives 6th adjournment notice in LS on Chinese transgression

He alleged that the Chinese attempting to come inside Indian territory is a portentous sign. From Eastern Ladakh, the Chinese seem to be eyeing Arunachal and the 2,500 km Eastern Sector of the LAC

115 daily wagers, 43 salaried people died by suicide each day in 2021: Govt

The number of housewives who killed themselves last year was a staggering 23,179, meaning at least 63 housewives died every day in the country, the data showed

Won't hesitate in suspending listed business for urgent matters: Dhankhar

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar Tuesday assured the opposition parties that he would not hesitate to suspend the scheduled business of the House under Rule 267 even on a daily basis if the notices qualify on merit. In the same breath Dhankhar, however, asserted that he would not invoke the rule even once during his entire tenure if notices are devoid of merit. Under Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha's Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business, a listed business of the day can be suspended to take up an urgent matter with the approval of the Chair. The chairman noted that the demand for suspension of scheduled business of the day under Rule 267 and 'point of order' have become tools to disrupt proceedings. Even on Tuesday, several notices under Rule 267 were made before the Chair but none were accepted. Among other issues, opposition members were demanding discussion on the India-China conflict in the House under Rule 267. When the Chair announced that no notice had been accepted, ..

Bill to amend multi-state cooperative society law may create chaos in LS

A discussion on a bill which seeks to amend the law on multi-state cooperative societies is likely to be a stormy affair in Lok Sabha when the proposed measure comes up for passage this week. With parliamentary sources indicating that the Winter session could conclude on December 23, earlier than scheduled, opposition parties could make a fresh pitch for a discussion on Tawang issue. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses of Parliament. Indian and Chinese troops had clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9 and the face-off resulted in minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. The session is officially slated to conclude on December 29. The Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to bring transparency and accountability in the sector, was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 7 amidst demands from Opposition MPs that it be referred to a standing committee f

MP BJP bats for 'one nation, one constitution', asks Cong to clear stance

Chouhan has started asserting the need of a UCC in the state with the implementation of the PESA Act around one-and-a-half months ago

Sarma pitches for UCC, even as Muslim intellectuals warn of social discord

Sarma insisted that a Muslim man marrying more than one woman was not his problem, but of Muslim mothers and sisters

With an eye on its Muslim vote bank, SP set to strongly oppose UCC

The Samajwadi Party knows that, at present, other political outfits in the state are not in a position to take on the BJP and the SP alone can put up a spirited fight on the issue

Ahead of 2024, Private Member's UCC Bill poses a dilemma for Opposition

Many Upper House members have admitted that the treasury benches were seeking an opportunity and when the opposition count was low in the House then the bill was introduced

China's attempts at transgression, economy dominate Parliament proceedings

China's attempts at transgression at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, the government's strong desire to have a say in the appointments to the higher judiciary and heated debates on the state of the economy were some of the issues that dominated the Parliament proceedings this week. The Lok Sabha approved the Supplementary Demands for Grants to the tune of Rs 3.26 lakh crore, primarily to fund the higher subsidy bill on items such as fertilisers, food and cooking gas, besides ramping up capital expenditure in sectors such as railways and roads. The Lower House also passed two bills to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order to add the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities to the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) of Tamil Nadu and include the Hattee community of the Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh to the ST list of the hill state. On Tuesday, as opposition members raised the issue of clashes between Indian and Chinese troops near ..

10 yrs of Nirbhaya case: DCW wants Parliament to discuss women's safety

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Friday wrote to the Lok Sabha speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman urging them to suspend the day's business in both houses of Parliament to discuss the issue of women's safety on the 10th anniversary of the Nirbhaya gangrape incident. Crimes against women have reached an "epidemic proportion", she said, while highlighting that six rapes are reported in the national capital every day. "An eight month old baby and a 90-year-old woman have also been raped in Delhi!" she tweeted. Maliwal also highlighted the recent acid attack on a 17-year-old girl in west Delhi. "The problem of increasing crimes against women and girls has reached an epidemic proportion and governments are failing to take steps to counter it. Even the Nirbhaya Fund that was set up for providing relief and rehabilitation for women and girls has been reduced substantially," she said. "The increasing crimes against women and girls in a matter of great concern and needs to b

Over 22,000 second appeals, complaints pending with CIC: Govt tells RS

Over 22,000 second appeals and complaints were pending with the Central Information Commission as on December 5, 2022, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. The CIC is mandated to deal with second appeals and complaints filed by RTI applicants in case they are aggrieved with the responses provided to them by government departments. Of the total pendency of 22,442, 19,178 were second appeals and 3,264 complaints, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in reply to a written question. To a question on whether the government was aware of cases where personal information of some RTI applicants have been made public, the minister said the Centre has from time to time issued guidelines or office memorandums "bringing to notice of all ministries/departments of government of India that personal information of an RTI applicant should not be disclosed". Section 8(1) (j) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 provides that it is not obligatory for public informatio

Six non-BJP ruled states have not reduced VAT on petroleum products: Govt

Six non-BJP ruled states West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand have not reduced the VAT on petroleum products, leading to higher prices of petrol and diesel there, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday. Puri said in Lok Sabha that the central government has reduced excise duty on petroleum products and some other states, following cues, and reduced their Value Added Tax (VAT). Six states West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand have not reduced the VAT, he said amidst vocal protests by the opposition members. The minister said, currently the petrol price in India is one of the lowest. He said the oil marketing companies together suffered losses of Rs 27,276 crore due to high prices of crude in international markets. I suggest MPs from the opposition impress upon their state governments to reduce the VAT so that they can also join the celebrations, he said. Puri said India imports more than 85 p

Parliament winter session: Rajya Sabha adjourned twice amid uproar

Seven Opposition members had given notices to the chairman on various issues, but were not allowed

Congress gives adjournment notice in LS for 3rd day in row on border clash

The notice said the reports suggest that China has built a massive infrastructure and there is additional troop buildup on the LAC

Parliamentary panel to submit report on India's Covid response in LS today

Panel's chairman and BJP MP PP Chaudhary will lay the report on the table of the House

Parliament passes bill to rename New Delhi International Arbitration Centre

Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill to rename the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre as the India International Arbitration Centre. The Rajya Sabha passed the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which was piloted by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in the house on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill on August 2022, which expands this to include the conduct of other forms of alternative dispute resolution besides arbitration. While replying to the debate, Rijiju in the Upper House said this bill will help India emerge as an attractive destination for arbitration at the global level. "India is still not a hub for arbitration, while small countries and cities have emerged as major centres for arbitration," the minister said. He assured the members saying that with the steps being taken by the Modi government, India would emerge as an arbitration centre in the coming years. "This amendment has been brought with that approach,"

India-China border clash to rock Parliament as several MPs seek discussion

A joint Opposition has planned to corner the government over the recent clashes along LAC between Indian and Chinese forces in Arunachal Pradesh with several MPs seeking discussion on the situation

GST evasion of Rs 23,000 cr by gaming firms being investigated: MoS to LS

GST evasion of about Rs 23,000 crore by gaming companies between April 2019 and November 2022 is being investigated by the tax officers, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said on Monday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister said the Enforcement Directorate has attached proceeds of crime of more than Rs 1,000 crore in several cases related to Cyber and Crypto assets frauds wherein online gaming etc have been used for siphoning the proceeds. About evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Chaudhary said Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) formations have initiated investigations against some gaming companies (including online gaming firms) located in India as well as abroad. "The estimated evasion of GST by these companies works out of Rs 22,936 crore, relating to the period April 2019 to Nov. 2022," he said. Besides, the Directorate of Enforcement is investigating several cases related to Cyber and Crypto assets frauds wherein ..