Page 2 - Rajya Sabha

Indian govt says it takes no position on Dalai Lama succession issues

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it has seen a statement issued by the 14th Dalai Lama in July about the institution of the Dalai Lama, and underlined that it "does not take any position" on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to queries in the Rajya Sabha. The MEA was asked whether it is a fact that the government has "openly backed Dalai Lama's right to decide on his own succession". "Government has seen a statement regarding the institution of Dalai Lama issued by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on 02 July 2025. Government of India does not take any position on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion," the MoS said. "Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so. Government's position has also been conveyed to the Chinese side," he said. In July, Central Tibetan ...

Parliament's monsoon session sees lowest functioning of 18th Lok Sabha

The Monsoon Session of Parliament was held between July 21 and August 21. Both Houses functioned for 21 days as scheduled

Parliament passes Online Gaming Bill to ban real money gaming nationwide

The legislation aims to prohibit real money gaming-related issues such as addiction, money laundering, suicides, and financial fraud

Lok Sabha passed 12 bills, Rajya Sabha 14 in Monsoon session amid protests

Twelve bills were passed by the Lok Sabha and 14 by the Rajya Sabha during the month-long Monsoon session of Parliament, which has witnessed repeated disruptions, adjournments and walkouts. Barring discussions on Operation Sindoor in both House, the session has seen little business ever since it began on July 21 due to repeated disruptions and adjournments initially due to opposition demand for discussion on Operation Sindoor and then over demands for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar. The Monsoon session is scheduled to end on Thursday. The bills passed by the Lok Sabha are The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2025, The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Manipur Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2025, The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, and The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Other bills passed by the Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm amid Oppn protest over SIR

Lok Sabha was on Wednesday adjourned till 12 noon due to vociferous protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision exercise carried out by the Election Commission in Bihar and other issues. When the House met at 11 am, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and showing placards with their demand for discussion on the voter roll revision. Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that carrying placards attached with sticks is against the rules of the House. He appealed to the members to go back to their seats and cooperate in running the House. However, the protesting MPs ignored his appeal, forcing Birla to adjourn the House till 12 noon, just within 2 minutes of business. The opposition has been demanding a discussion on the SIR exercise initiated by the Election Commission in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections there. Barring discussions on Operation Sindoor in both House, Parliament h

Rajya Sabha passes Mines and Minerals Bill amid Opposition protests

Rajya Sabha passes amendments to the Mines and Minerals Bill, including provisions on coal production, adding minerals to existing leases, and establishment of the National Mineral Exploration Trust

Rajya Sabha remains in deadlock as SIR protests force adjournment till 2 pm

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till the post-lunch session within minutes of assembly on Tuesday, as Opposition MPs persisted in demanding a discussion on alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Soon after listed official papers were laid on the table of the House, slogan shouting Opposition MPs moved into aisles and well of the House raising the issue of SIR, leading to proceedings being adjourned till 2 pm. The House will reconvene after the lunch break. Deputy Chairman Harivansh rejected 20 notices that invoked Rule 267, which allows suspension of listed business to discuss matters being raised in them. Without indicating the subject, he said the notices were received on four different subjects, but none of them adhered to the prescribed rules and so were not admitted. He called for taking up the listed Zero Hour, where MPs raise issues of urgent public importance, but sloganeering drowned his attempts. He also object

RS takes up Indian Ports Bill, passed by LS on Aug 12, amid Oppn walkout

A bill to consolidate laws relating to ports, promote integrated port development, facilitate ease of doing business, and ensure optimum utilisation of India's coastline was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, amid noisy protests by the Opposition. The Indian Ports Bill 2025 was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 12. As the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, BJD's Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, informed the legislators that the Business Advisory Committee had decided to allot three hours for discussion on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025. He also said that the committee has approved one hour for consideration and passage of the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill 2025, after it is approved by the Lok Sabha. Patra then asked Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to introduce the Indian Ports Bill 2025, which was listed on the agenda of the House. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge

INDIA bloc leaders likely to discuss joint VP candidate on Monday

The opposition INDIA bloc leaders are likely to discuss their joint candidate for the post of vice-president at a meeting of floor leaders on Monday morning. Sources said the INDIA bloc leaders would meet at the office of Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, at 10.15 am on Monday. The meeting will be held a day after the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its nominee for the post of vice-president, the second-highest constitution position in the country. Radhakrishnan hails from Tamil Nadu, which will go to polls in 2026. While the ruling BJP feels that the nomination of Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader with an RSS background, will elicit support from the wider opposition, especially the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, it remains to be seen what stand the opposition parties take on Monday. BJP president J P Nadda, while announcing the nomination of Radhakrishnan after a meeting of the party's ...

Simple language, lucid, says FM as Parliament passes Income Tax Bill, 2025

Opposition members staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha during the discussion, mirroring their protest in the Lok Sabha on Monday

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as INDIA bloc presses for discussion on SIR

Rajya Sabha proceedings on Tuesday were adjourned till the post-lunch session within minutes of its assembly, as Opposition MPs insisted on a discussion be taken up on the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Soon after listed official papers were laid on the table of the House, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he has rejected all 21 notices that invoked Rule 267, which allows suspension of listed business to discuss matters being raised in them. Without indicating the subject, he said the notices were received on four different subjects but none of them contained a motion drawn in a proper manner. As many as 11 notices sought discussion on a matter which is sub judice, he said. The Supreme Court is hearing petitions filed against SIR. Tiruchi Siva of DMK cited the rule book to say that the ruling of the Chair is supreme and urged him to take up discussion on subjects listed in the Rule 267 notice. Even before he could finish,

Parliament passes Merchant Shipping Bill 2025 amid Opposition protests

Parliament on Monday approved The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 with the Rajya Sabha passing it with a voice vote. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on August 6. The bill was passed in the Upper House amid a walkout by the Opposition that was protesting in the House and demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 seeks to expand the eligibility criteria for ownership of merchant shipping vessels and provide for investigation and enquiries on marine casualties among others. Earlier, Opposition members protested the taking up of the bill and demanded that the SIR issue be discussed. Amid the din caused by Opposition members, the Rajya Sabha also saw a brief adjournment for a few minutes. Later, when the House assembled at 3 pm, the bill was taken up and passed.

Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid opposition protest over SIR

The Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 2 pm due to vociferous protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls and other issues. When the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and holding placards. Initially, Speaker Om Birla tried to continue the business of the House -- Question Hour -- by allowing members to ask questions related to the Ministry of Environment and Forests amid the din. After about 10 minutes, Birla said the opposition members have been "systematically disrupting" the proceedings of the House for 14 days with their protests. "This is against the rules and regulations and against the democratic process. People elected you as their representatives to raise their issues and to fulfil their hopes and aspirations, but you are only protesting," he said. "People of the country are watching you," he said a

Sanjay Raut writes to Amit Shah, seeks info on ex-VP Dhankhar's whereabouts

Raut said in his letter that rumours are circulating in Delhi that Dhankhar has been confined to his residence and is reportedly not safe

Tender awarded for South Coast Railway HQ in Vizag: Vaishnaw tells RS

The construction work of the South Coast Railway Zone headquarters has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 183.58 crore and the tender has been awarded, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written statement in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. While responding to questions related to the year in which the land was acquired by the Railways and the amount of money sanctioned for the construction of its headquarters, along with the completion date, Vaishnaw said that the foundation stone of the new South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone was laid recently. He said 52.2 acres of land at Mudasarlova in Visakhapatnam for setting up the SCoR zone headquarters has been handed over by the Andhra Pradesh government to the Railways in August 2024. The work of "setting up of South Coast Railways' Zone HQ" has been sanctioned at the latest estimated cost of Rs 183.58 crore. "Tender for the construction of the zonal headquarters office building has been awarded," Vaishnaw said. "The work has been

Kiren Rijiju urges end to Rajya Sabha disruptions; 53 hours lost in session

In a post on X, Rijiju highlighted observations made by the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman on August 7 about the loss of working hours during the ongoing session

Highlights: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourn proceedings for the day

Today's highlights: Catch all the news developments here

Tax arrears worth ₹54.53 trillion pending as on June 30: Govt tells RS

Total direct and indirect tax arrears stood at over Rs 54.53 lakh crore as of June 30, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said, "The total amount of tax arrears pending as on June 2025, under indirect taxes is over Rs 7.01 lakh crore and under direct taxes is over Rs 47.52 lakh crore." Cumulatively, direct and indirect tax arrears stood at Rs 54.53 lakh crore as of June 30. Of the total indirect tax arrears, over Rs 2.66 lakh crore pertain to those where pending taxes in individual cases is above Rs 10 crore as of June 2025. In case of direct taxes, tax arrears above Rs 10 crore as on June 2025 totalled about Rs 35.48 lakh crore. Further, of the Rs 7.01 lakh crore pending tax arrears under indirect tax, over Rs 3.71 lakh crore is pending due to litigation at various stages. Similarly, for direct taxes out of total Rs 47.52 lakh crore arrears due, an amount of over Rs 31.26 lakh cr

INDIA bloc leaders to meet, stage protest over voter list revision in Bihar

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have witnessed repeated adjournments over the opposition's insistence on a demand for discussion on the SIR in poll-bound Bihar

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned for the day to honour to Shibu Soren

Rajya Sabha proceedings on Monday were adjourned for the day as a mark of respect following the death of sitting MP Shibu Soren. JMM founder and three time Jharkhand chief minister Soren, 81, died on Monday. Deputy Chairman Harivansh read out an obituary reference after which MPs stood in their places as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Thereafter, Harivansh announced adjournment of proceedings for the day. No official business was taken up. Harivansh described Soren as a grassroot leader who worked for the empowerment of tribal communities, poor and the downtrodden. "In his death, the country has lost an experienced parliamentarian, strong advocate for tribal rights, and extremely honoured public representative," he said. Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village (present-day Ramgarh, Jharkhand), he was from the Santhal tribal community. He founded Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times between 2005 and 2010. Soren was five t