Page 12 - Rajya Sabha

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

Cong MP moves adjournment motion in LS over Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks

In his adjournment motion notice, Tagore accused Amit Shah of 'insulting' B R Ambedkar's legacy and 'hurting the sentiments of people'

Parliament highlights: Cong never worked for welfare of backward classes,we uplift them, says Shah

Parliament Winter Session updates: Following its introduction in the Lok Sabha, the "One Nation One Election" Bill is expected to be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee

Nadda slams Congress over Preamble amendment in RS, calls them 'bad lot'

Even a good constitution can prove to be bad if those implementing it are not good, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J P Nadda said on Tuesday, asserting the "bad lot" interfered with the Indian Constitution many times. Participating in a discussion on the "Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India", Nadda attacked the Congress over the Emergency, amendment to the Preamble of the Constitution and also raised the Article 370 issue. He said the nation is indebted to the members of the Constituent Assembly who shaped the Constitution. "As the prime minister said, India is not just the largest democracy, but the mother of democracy. The architects of our Constitution knew this is not a nation in the making, it was always a nation," said Nadda, who is also the BJP president. "As per Indian ethos, democracy comprises freedom, acceptability, equality, inclusivity and allowing citizens to lead a dignified life," he said. The BJP leader quoted B R Ambedkar to say "how

Parliament session highlights: One Nation One Election Bill likely to be introduced on Dec 17 in LS

Parliament winter session 2024 updates: After Lok Sabha, two-day discussion on Constitution to begin in Rajya Sabha from today; catch all LIVE updates

Parliamentary panel urges all states, UTs to implement labour reforms

A Parliamentary panel has asked the labour ministry to pursue states and Union Territories to prepare rules to enforce four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security, and occupational safety across the country at the earliest. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Textile and Skill Development in its report tabled in Parliament on Monday noted that the central government and a number of states/UTs have pre-published rules under four Labour Codes. The panel noted that labour is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and under the Labour Codes, rules are required to be framed by the central government as well as by the state governments. The committee noted that the four Labour Codes, which were notified in 2019/2020, are yet to be implemented. While most states/UTs have pre-published draft rules under these codes, a few states/UTs have not pre-published them. As on December 3, 2024, three states -- Meghalaya, Nagaland, and West Bengal -- and one UT -- Lakshadwe

Parliamentary panel highlights gaps in medical radiation device testing

A parliamentary committee on Monday raised serious concerns about the country's capability to test and regulate radiation-emitting medical devices, urging immediate reforms in the national testing infrastructure. The Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution revealed significant gaps in the testing framework for critical medical equipment like X-ray and MRI machines in its fifth report submitted to Parliament. The National Testing House (NTH) currently lacks the expertise and capacity to comprehensively test and certify radiation-emitting medical devices, despite existing regulatory oversight from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). The committee recommended establishing a collaborative framework between NTH, AERB, and CDSCO to address the identified regulatory shortcomings. Key recommendations include developing specialised testing capabilities at NTH, investing in advanced testing ...

BJP prioritises electoral politics over governance: Kharge in RS debate

Congress President and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge accused BJP of twisting and distorting facts, as well as being against reservation

Congress govt prioritised dynasty over democracy: Sitharaman in RS debate

Opening the Rajya Sabha debate on Monday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused previous Congress-led central governments of suppressing freedom of speech