Page 3 - Rajya Sabha

Govt not averse to taking up discussion on SIR, electoral reforms: Rijiju

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that the government is not averse to holding a discussion on SIR or electoral reforms, as he asked the Opposition not to insist on setting a timeline. He was responding to opposition members who were demanding an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls or electoral reforms in the House. Not satisfied with the minister's response, members of several opposition parties staged a walkout from the Upper House. Responding to the opposition parties' demand to start an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls or electoral reforms, the minister sought more time to respond to the matter. Chairman CP Radhakrishnan earlier disallowed the notices given by nine opposition members on several issues, including a discussion on SIR under rule 267, leading to protests by the Opposition. The chairman later asked members to raise their Zero Hour ...

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: LS passes Manipur GST reform bill; House adjourned for the day

Parliament Winter Session Live Updates: Follow all the latest updates from Parliament as government and opposition debate key issues

Row in Rajya Sabha as Kharge flags Dhankhar's 'sudden exit'; BJP hits back

A heated argument broke out in the Rajya Sabha between Mallikarjun Kharge and the BJP after the former mentioned Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden exit as vice president

Bihar election results: What NDA's win means for future Rajya Sabha polls

With the NDA heading for a sweeping majority in Bihar, the Opposition now faces a second setback, a weaker hand in upcoming Rajya Sabha elections as multiple seats will open for renewal before 2030

J&K RS polls: Sajad Lone alleges National Conference 'gifted' BJP 7 votes

People's Conference chief Sajad Lone on Saturday accused the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir of "gifting" seven votes to the BJP to ensure the saffron party's victory on one seat in the Rajya Sabha polls held on Friday, calling the elections a fixed match between the two parties. The National Conference (NC) won three seats, while the BJP managed one in the first Rajya Sabha elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union territory in 2019. You (NC) have clearly gifted seven members to the BJP. It was a fixed match, Lone claimed at a press conference. The Rajya Sabha elections for four seats were divided into three notifications. In the third notification, elections were held for two seats. While NC's Chowdhry Mohammed Ramzan won the first seat, its candidate Sajjad Kitchloo won the second. For the third notification, the NC fielded two candidates -- G S Oberoi, also known as Shammi Oberoi, and Imran Nabi Dar. The BJP, on the other hand, fielded its Jam

BJP names 3 candidates for elections to 4 Rajya Sabha seats in J-K

The BJP on Sunday named three candidates, including its Jammu and Kashmir unit president Sat Pal Sharma, for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in the Union Territory scheduled for October 24. Two other candidates are Ghulam Mohammed Mir and Rakesh Mahajan. The Election Commission has issued three separate notifications for the elections to four seats. The National Conference-Congress combine has an edge in three seats while the BJP has in one, going by their strength in the assembly. The BJP's decision to force a contest will spice up the polling, as it is expected to spearhead an intensive exercise to woo MLAs from other parties to shore up support for its candidates. The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir had on Friday announced the names of its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls to be held on October 24, and said discussions were on with the Congress for the fourth seat.

Rajya Sabha polls for 4 J-K seats vacant since 2021 on Oct 24: EC

Biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, which have been lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. Separately, Rajya Sabha bypoll to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP member from Punjab Sanjeev Arora will also be held on October 24. He had resigned following his election to the Punjab assembly. His Rajya Sabha term was to otherwise end on April 9, 2028. The Rajya Sabha elections for the four Jammu and Kashmir seats are being held nearly a year after the assembly polls were held in the union territory. MLAs elect Rajya Sabha members of their respective states. The union territory has been unrepresented in the Upper House of Parliament since February 15, 2021, the day when Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway finished their term. Two other members, Fayaz Ahmed Mir and Shamsheer Singh Manhas, had completed their term on February 10, the same year. While announcing the schedule

Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty reports scam call, cybercrime case registered

A case has been registered after Rajya Sabha member and philanthropist Sudha Murty filed a complaint alleging that an unknown person, posing as an employee of the Ministry of Telecommunications, tried to obtain her personal information, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on September 5, following which she lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police in Bengaluru, they said. In her complaint, she alleged that on September 5, she received a call from an unknown person who introduced himself as an employee of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Government of India and tried to obtain her personal information by falsely claiming that her mobile number was registered in January without linking it to Aadhaar. He also threatened that obscene videos were being broadcast or accessed from that mobile number and that her services would be disconnected at 12 PM, the FIR stated. "The person was very rude and the call came from a mobile number, which was showed as Telecom Dept on Tr

Datanomics: Low vote share, big office as new VP's winning margin declines

Vice-presidents: From Radhakrishan to Radhakrishnan

NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan elected India's 15th Vice President

BJP-led NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan won the vice presidential election with 452 votes against Opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy's 300, succeeding Jagdeep Dhankhar

Vice President polls on September 9: How Parliament numbers stack up

The election for the Vice Presidential was called after Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation; NDA's CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy are in the fray

No USAID funds used for voter turnout in India, govt tells Rajya Sabha

MoS for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the US Embassy confirmed no voter turnout projects were run in India between 2014-24

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