Rajya Sabha

Punjab CM heads to Delhi to meet President Murmu over AAP MPs' defection

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accompanied by party MLAs, departed for Delhi on Tuesday morning to meet President Droupadi Murmu regarding the recent defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. On April 24, the Aam Aadmi Party suffered a jolt when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs -- Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- quit and merged with the BJP, alleging that the party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals. Six of the seven MPs who left AAP were from Punjab. Mann is scheduled to meet the President at 12 noon at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. While departing for Delhi, Mann affirmed that all AAP MLAs stand united with the party. "Only I have been given time for the meeting," Mann said while speaking to reporters here. "The President is the guardian of the Constitution. She is the constitutional head of the country," he added. The MLAs and ministers gathered at the chief .

Watch: Raghav Chadha joins BJP, says 2/3rd of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs also merging

Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday after months of tension with the party leadership.

AAP to move court after RS Chairman accepts merger of 7 MPs with BJP

AAP plans legal challenge after Rajya Sabha Chairman accepts merger of seven MPs with BJP, sparking debate over anti-defection law provisions

Rajya Sabha Chairman accepts merger of 7 defected AAP MPs with BJP

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Monday officially accepted the merger of seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs with the BJP, reducing the strength of Arvind Kejriwal's party in the Upper House to three. After this transition, the BJP's strength in the Upper House has increased to 113. Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Vikramjit Sahney, Swati Maliwal, and Rajinder Gupta are the seven MPs who have merged. The Rajya Sabha website now shows that the seven MPs are part of the BJP list of members. The seven MPs had on Friday petitioned the Rajya Sabha Chairman to be treated as BJP MPs after the merger and the same has been accepted, sources said. The AAP had on Sunday moved a petition before the RS Chairman seeking the termination of the membership of the seven MPs, who had switched sides. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said he has submitted a petition to Chairman Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of the seven party MPs in the Upper House, who

AAP to write to Rajya Sabha chairman for disqualification of defected MPs

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Saturday said that the party will write to the Rajya Sabha chairman to seek the disqualification of seven of its MPs, who quit the party a day ago, from the Upper House. "Anti-defection law clearly states that any type of split or faction cannot happen in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. It does not carry any legal recognition, even if it's a two-thirds majority," Singh said. The AAP leader said that neither the anti-defection law nor the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution recognises any kind of split, breakaway faction, or group in the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha, two-thirds majority notwithstanding. The seven MPs who have announced joining the BJP are completely "unconstitutional" and "illegal," he said. "I am writing to the vice president of India, and chairman of Rajya Sabha, to disqualify the seven MPs," Singh added. AAP Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak on Friday announced that they are joining the BJP along with five other MPs of the ...

AAP no longer the same party, no one can work with Kejriwal: Swati Maliwal

Defected AAP MP Swati Maliwal on Saturday alleged that her former party had "strayed far" from its original principles, and its leader Arvind Kejriwal is no longer the same. Barely a year after losing power to the BJP in Delhi, AAP suffered its greatest jolt on Friday when seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha and Maliwal, quit the party. The other defectors were Sandeep Pathak, a key face of the party organisation, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney. Maliwal, who joined the BJP after defecting, praised the "decisive and strong leadership" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I left my home, lived in slums for seven years, quit my job and supported every movement. But when I tried to file an FIR after being assaulted, I was beaten up at Kejriwal's residence by his aide," Maliwal told PTI Videos. She claimed that when she tried to pursue the complaint, she was "threatened and pressured" to withdraw it. "For two years, I wa

Who is Ashok Mittal? Ex-AAP MP who switched to BJP 10 days after ED raid

Rajya Sabha MP and LPU founder rose from a family sweets business to build a major education enterprise, gaining prominence in AAP before joining the exodus led by Raghav Chadha

Delimitation and devolution must advance together for India's democracy

One cannot keep kicking two contentious cans down the road forever

Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Chadha, announce switch to BJP

Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, announce move to BJP, boosting NDA strength in Upper House ahead of crucial state elections

Raghav Chadha joins BJP, says 2/3rd of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs also merging

He stated that his own party had tried to silence him

Ex-Rajya Sabha member Dr Gopalrao Patil passes away at 94 in Maharashtra

Former Rajya Sabha member and noted paediatrician Dr Gopalrao Patil passed away in Maharashtra's Latur city on Tuesday morning following an illness, family sources said. He was 94. Patil breathed his last at a private hospital here at 7.12 am, they said. He served as a Rajya Sabha member from the BJP between 1994 and 2000 and contributed to key parliamentary committees, including commerce, external affairs, and railways. Patil was also a visionary educationist. He founded the Shiv Chhatrapati Shikshan Sanstha, which runs Rajarshi Shahu College in Latur. Born on October 3, 1931, at Kavtha village in Dharashiv district, Patil pursued his medical education from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and went on to become one of Latur's most respected child specialists. His free medical services in rural areas had earned him the affectionate title of 'Devmanus' among locals. He had also served as a lecturer in a medical college in Kurnool, Hyderabad and worked as a medical officer in Kurund

Key Constitution Amendment Bills since 2014: A look at how they fared

Shifting numbers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha reshape NDA's strategy, as constitutional amendment Bills face tougher passage despite earlier dominance

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.

Harivansh elected Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha for record third term

Nominated member Harivansh was elected Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha unopposed on Friday. It is the third term as Deputy Chairman for the journalist-turned-politician. The Office of the Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, fell vacant after the term of Harivansh ended on April 9. Union minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda moved the first motion for electing Harivansh as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Harivansh on his election. It is for the first time that a nominated member has been elected as Deputy Chairman.

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)

Rajya Sabha to elect deputy chairman on April 17, NDA backs Harivansh

The Rajya Sabha will hold the election for the post of deputy chairman on April 17, and the ruling NDA is likely to push for re-electing Harivansh to the key post. The post of the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha fell vacant after the tenure of Harivansh ended on April 9. Harivansh has since been nominated to the Upper House by President Droupadi Murmu and took oath on April 10. Union minister and BJP leader J P Nadda, who is also leader of the house in Rajya Sabha, is learnt to have discussed the re-election of Harivansh as deputy chairman with leaders of various parties, while trying to bring about a broad consensus on his name. However, the Congress, TMC and Left parties have raised objections to the "keenness" the ruling party is showing in holding elections for filling the post of deputy chairman of the Upper House, when the post of deputy speaker in Lok Sabha has been vacant since 2019. An official announcement said that the election for the post of deputy chairman will be

Pass women's quota Bill in 'one voice': PM to Parliament floor leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in its true spirit and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with the quota for women in place. In a letter to the flood leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ahead of the three-day special sittings of Parliament, Modi also asked all members to come together in one voice to pass the amendments to the women's reservation law, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. "After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country. "It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said in his letter dated April 11. The Budget Session of Parliament has been extended, and a special three-day sitting of the House has been convened on Apri

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Rajya Sabha member, Bihar to get new CM

The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan in his chamber at a brief ceremony

Oppn notices on motion to remove CEC rejected by RS Chairman, LS Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Monday rejected separate notices from the opposition to move a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post. The opposition had submitted notices to the Lok Sabha speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairman against the CEC, alleging "partisan and discriminatory conduct in office", "deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud" and "mass disenfranchisement" among other charges. In separate orders, the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman refused to admit the notices moved under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, read with other relevant constitutional and statutory provisions, praying for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner. "After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under Section 3 of