Rajya Sabha

Parliamentary panel on One Nation One Election set for first time on Jan 8

The first meeting of the 39-member parliamentary panel on 'one nation, one election' is set to be held on January 8, setting the tone for nationwide deliberations on the key poll reform measure of the BJP-led NDA government. Parliamentary sources said the first meeting of the Joint Committee on bills for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, chaired by BJP member P P Chaudhary, is likely to be an introductory one with officials briefing the panel on the two bills to implement a long-cherished election promise of the BJP. The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were introduced in the Lok Sabha last week and referred to the joint committee of Parliament on Friday, the last day of the Winter Session. The government decided to increase the committee's strength from 31 to 39 as more political parties expressed the desire to be part of the exercise to examine the two draft legislations on simultaneous elections. Form

V-P Dhankar calls for accountability of MPs over Parliament disruptions

Against the backdrop of Parliament witnessing poor productivity due to disruptions, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday called for accountability of lawmakers and said people would force them to think why they were sent to Parliament. He also said that for any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides. Dhankhar is the Rajya Sabha's ex-officio chairman. Calling for accountability among parliamentarians, he said, "... Make no mistake, I am referring to parliamentarians. People have learned to take disorder as order. There is no sense of revulsion." Hopefully, people will write and their thoughts will move, the vice-president said, according to an official statement. "People will force you to think, why did you go there (Parliament)?" he said. Addressing awardees of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards - 2024, the vice-president said agriculture was the spine of rural development. "Unless agriculture develops, the

Parl winter session: 39-member House panel set up to scrutinise ONOE Bills

The committee will have 27 members from the Lok Sabha and 12 from the Rajya Sabha

Opposition's impeachment bid against Dhankhar: Symbolism or strategy?

Injured egos may rile them, but they cannot justify the Opposition's move to impeach Jagdeep Dhankhar

Orders placed for machines to bore undersea tunnel for bullet train: Govt

The orders for three tunnel boring machines to carry out about 21 km under sea tunneling for the Bullet Train project have been placed, the government informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Friday while updating the status of infrastructure projects in Maharashtra. Construction works on the flagship high speed bullet train project have gathered momentum in Maharashtra. Now 100% land acquisition has been completed. Works of bridges, aqueducts etc. have been taken up, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Meanwhile, all preparatory works required for the working of TBMs (tunnel boring machines) such as construction of shafts etc. have also been taken up, he added. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut wanted to know whether the government has reduced funding for new railway lines in Maharashtra in recent years, the critical rail projects which have been delayed due to reduction in funding and the steps taken by the government to mitigate potential delays in railway projects to ensu

From Adani row to Ambedkar clash, how Parliament's Winter Session unfolded

The Winter Session of Parliament ended on a tense note as members of the INDIA bloc staged a protest march calling for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over his remarks about BR Ambedkar

Total 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus, minorities in B'desh: Govt

A total of 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been reported in Bangladesh this year till December 8, and India's expectation is Dhaka will take necessary measures to ensure their safety, the government said on Friday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh gave the information in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha, citing data from minority and human rights organisations. In Pakistan, the number of cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan this year stood at "112 till October 2024," the MoS said. The corresponding figures for 2022 were 47 in Bangladesh and 241 in Pakistan, while in 2023 the figures were 302 in Bangladesh and 103 in Pakistan, according to the data he shared. The minister said the Indian government has urged "Pakistan to take steps to prevent religious intolerance, sectarian violence, systemic persecution and attacks on minority communities and ensure their safety, security, and ...

Parliament highlights: Winter Session ends with both Houses adjourned sine die

Parliament highlights: On Thursday, INDIA bloc MPs took out a protest march in Parliament premises demanding the resignation of Amit Shah for his remarks related to BR Ambedkar

Winter Session of Lok Sabha sees 57.87% productivity despite disruptions

The Lok Sabha's Winter Session, hamstrung by disruptions over issues ranging from Adani to billionaire George Soros' "links" with the Congress leadership and Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks, had a productivity of 57.87 per cent, official sources said on Friday. The Lower House met on November 25 and was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on Friday amid protests by the opposition and the treasury benches over the alleged insult to BR Ambedkar and directions by Speaker Om Birla to members against holding demonstrations at any gate of Parliament. Among the key bills introduced during the session were two that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections. The two bills were on Friday referred to a joint committee of Parliament for examination and wider consultations. The Lower House last week saw a debate on 75 years of the Constitution's adoption, during which the treasury and the opposition benches launched a series of attacks at each other. The Lok Sabha sat an extra day last

RS adopts motion to nominate 12 MPs to panel on simultaneous polls bills

The Rajya Sabha on Friday adopted through voice vote a motion to nominate 12 of its members to the joint committee of Parliament that will scrutinise the two bills proposing simultaneous elections. Soon after the House met following an initial adjournment in the morning, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move a motion to nominate members of the Rajya Sabha to the panel. Moving the motion, Meghwal said the Upper House of Parliament resolves to nominate 12 members to serve on the joint committee. The members nominated from the Rajya Sabha are Ghanshyam Tiwari, Bhubaneshwar Kalita, Dr K Laxman and Kavita Patidar of the BJP, Sanjay Kumar Jha of the JD(U), Randeep Singh Surjewala and Mukul Wasnik of the Congress, Saket Gokhale of the TMC, P Wilson of the DMK, Sanjay Singh of AAP, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj of the BJD and V Vijaisai Reddy of the YSRCP. Minutes before the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, the House on Friday adopted a resolution recommendi

Dhankhar spoke for almost 30% of time in RS, claims TMC's Derek O'Brien

Amid the opposition's charge that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar does not allow them to speak, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliamentary Party Leader Derek O'Brien on Friday alleged that the Rajya Sabha chairman spoke for around 30 per cent of the time the Upper House functioned. Slamming the chairman on the last day of the Winter Session, O'Brien in a brief statement said that the Upper House ran for a total of 43 hours till December 18 and Dhankhar spoke for around four and a half hours. There are no official records of speaking time of the Rajya Sabha chairman or its members. "As of December 18, the Rajya Sabha ran for a total of 43 hours. Of this, the bills were discussed for 10 hours," the TMC leader said. "The debate on the Constitution lasted for 17 and a half hours. Of the remaining 15 and a half hours who spoke for four and a half hours or nearly 30 per cent of the time? It was the Rajya Sabha chairman and vice president," O'Brien said. "Did Jagdeep Dhankhar set a new recor

Reports by various foreign entities often found to be biased: Govt

The government is aware of reports issued from time to time by various foreign entities, including in the US, about the situation of human rights in India, but such reports are often found to be "subjective, misinformed and biased in nature", the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha. He was asked whether the government is aware of the recent US Congressional Research Service report which "highlights concerns" over India's human rights record, particularly regarding religious freedom and communal violence; and the steps being taken by the government to ensure that India's secular constitution and pluralistic values are upheld, both domestically and internationally. The government is "aware of reports issued from time to time by various foreign entities, including in the US, about the situation of human rights in India. Such reports are often found to be subjective,

Parliament scuffle highlights: LS Speaker bars parties from holding protests at Parliament gates

Parliament winter session news updates: The BJP has claimed that Rahul Gandhi pushed Pratap Sarangi during a melee, a charge rejected by the Congress leader

RS dy chairman dismisses opposition's notice seeking V-P Dhankhar's removal

Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh on Thursday dismissed the impeachment notice given by the opposition seeking the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar while ruling it as an act of impropriety, being severely flawed and drawn in haste to mar his reputation, sources said. In his ruling, which was tabled in the House by Rajya Sabha secretary general P C Mody, the deputy chairman said the impeachment notice is part of a design to denigrate the nation's constitutional institutions and malign the incumbent Vice President, the sources said. At least 60 opposition members had signed the notice for removal of Dhankhar from his post on December 10, alleging that they did not have trust in him and that he was "biased". The deputy chairman ruled that the gravity of this "personally targeted" notice which is bereft of facts and aimed at securing publicity. He also held that the notice was a "misadventure" in "deliberate trivialising and demeaning" of the high constitutional office o

Blocked over 669,000 SIM cards to combat cybercrime: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime, the government has blocked over 6.69 lakh SIM cards and 1,32,000 IMEI numbers till November 15, 2024. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said this initiative is part of a broader strategy to tackle cybercrime, with a focus on improving the capabilities of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and judicial officers. In a related development, the Ministry of Home Affairs has launched the 'CyTrain' platform, an online Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) aimed at building the capacity of police and judicial officers. The platform, developed under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), offers courses on cyber-crime investigation, forensics, and prosecution. To date, more than 98,698 police officers from various states and Union Territories (UTs) have registered on the platform, with over 75,591 certificates issued. The government has also provided Rs 131.60

Parliament highlights: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned after uproar over Shah's Ambedkar remarks

Parliament winter session 2024 highlights: The 'One Nation, One Election' Bill was tabled in the Lower House of the Parliament on Dec 17

Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid Opposition protests

In a back and forth, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also hit out at the Opposition, alleging that it is instead Congress which has done conspiracy against B R Ambedkar, questioning their respect

EC reviews Delhi polls preparedness, meets leaders from political parties

The Election Commission held a meeting with representatives of political parties in central Delhi on Wednesday, in the run-up to the assembly polls here due early next year. BJP MP from New Delhi Bansuri Swaraj, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha and party leader Jasmin Shah attended the meeting. An election commission official said the meeting lasted for around half an hour and covered several topics. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also reviewed poll preparedness for the upcoming Delhi elections. In a post on X, the Election Commission mentioned, "CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sandhu review poll preparedness for the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections. Meeting with enforcement agencies is currently underway. Earlier in the day, commission met representatives of the political parties." Sources earlier said the Election Commission will review on Wednesday the preparedness of its poll machinery in Delhi, where assembly elections are due early

Amit Shah's Ambedkar remark sparks chaos, Congress demands resignation

Congress protests Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar, demands his resignation, while BJP defends the Home Minister

Congress amended Constitution 77 times, BJP only 22: Amit Shah retorts

Amit Shah contrasts BJP's and Congress' approaches to Constitutional amendments