Page 7 - Rajya Sabha

BJP names Kanad Purkayastha its candidate for Assam Rajya Sabha polls

The BJP on Saturday announced that the party's Assam state secretary Kanad Purkayastha will be its candidate for the Rajya Sabha election from the state. A release said the party's central election committee has approved the candidature of Purkayastha. A party leader from Barak valley, Purkayastha is the son of veteran BJP leader and former Union minister Kabindra Purkayastha. Elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Assam are scheduled on June 19, with counting of votes to take place the same day. The BJP had earlier announced that it will field a candidate for one of the seats, leaving the other for its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The two seats that are being vacated were held by BJP and AGP.

Parliament Monsoon session to begin July 21, first since Pahalgam attack

Monsoon Session from July 21 to August 12 set to address Operation Sindoor, border tensions, and an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma

AIADMK defers RS seat allotment, DMDK to reveal poll ties in Jan 2026

Apparently perturbed over AIADMK's decision to defer the allocation of a Rajya Sabha seat to it to 2026, the DMDK said it would announce its poll ties ahead of the Assembly election next year. Stopping short of accusing the AIADMK of not honouring its commitment made before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said the AIADMK had already allotted a seat each to Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (PMK) and G K Vasan (TMC) in the past and now it was the turn of her party to get a Rajya Sabha seat. Playing down DMDK's decision to make known its stand on alliance on January 9, 2026, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters in Coimbatore on June 1 that the ties between the AIADMK and DMDK were smooth and attempts to break them would not fructify. On June 1, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary K P Munusamy announced that DMDK remained part of the AIADMK-led alliance and a Rajya Sabha seat will be allocated to that party in 2026. On May 31, DMDK .

Veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa dies at 89 after illness

Veteran Akali leader and former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa died Wednesday evening following age-related health issues at a private hospital in Mohali. He was 89. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. According to a statement by the hospital, Dhindsa was admitted on Tuesday in a critical condition. He was suffering from severe pneumonia and cardiac complications, compounded by age-related health issues. "Despite the best efforts of the multidisciplinary medical team, he passed away at approximately 5:05 PM today due to cardiac arrhythmia and cardiac arrest," it said. Dhindsa's son Parminder Singh Dhindsa was the finance minister in the erstwhile Akali government. Sukhdev Dhindsa became Shiromani Akali Dal Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur in 2004. He was the Union minister of sports, chemicals and fertilizers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Dhindsa was a Rajya Sabha MP from 1998 to 2004 and from 2010 to 2022. The Akali stalwart was given Padma Bhushan in

Kamal Haasan set to enter Rajya Sabha, Manipur govt formation, mock drills to resume, Gaza, & more

BJP legislator from Manipur Thokchom Radheshyam Singh on Wednesday claimed that 44 MLAs are prepared to form a new government in the state. The statement came after Singh, along with nine other MLAs,

Cong MP Singhvi defends SC's Article 142 power after VP Dhankhar's remarks

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had, on Thursday, called Article 142 a "nuclear missile against democratic forces that remains available to the judiciary 24x7"

Parliament Budget Session concludes, both Houses adjourned sine die

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said as many as 16 Bills were passed during the session and the House productivity was pegged at over 118 per cent

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die, marking the end of budget session

Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, marking the end of the Budget Session that began on January 31. In his concluding remarks at the end of the 267th session of Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the House passed key legislations, including the Waqf Amendment Bill, and discussed several important issues during its sittings. "The productivity of this session stood at 119 per cent. On April 3, the Rajya Sabha began proceedings and etched its name in the annals of legislative history with an unprecedented sitting from 11 am on that day until 4.02 am the following day, ie, this day, the longest in its history," Dhankhar said. He added, "This would send a very great message to the people at large and enhance belief in this great institution." Dhankhar appreciated members for participating in the debates and discourses with enlightened inputs and varying opinion shades. "After a long gap, the house witnessed welcome wit, humour, sarcasm and repartee, apart from ...

Parliament highlights: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die amid ruckus over Waqf Bill

Parliament highlights: Catch all the latest news developments here

Rajya Sabha passes Waqf Bill 2025; Amit Shah hails it as a 'historic day'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement came soon after the Rajya Sabha gave its approval to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following its passage in the Lok Sabha on Thursday

Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 passed in Rajya Sabha: What's next for it?

Parliament approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as Rajya Sabha passed it 128-95 after a 12-hour debate

'Chances that judiciary may strike down Waqf Amendment Bill 2025': Singhvi

The Parliament passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 in the early hours of Friday after a marathon and heated debate

Parliament Highlights: Waqf Bill not against Muslims, don't want to hurt sentiments, says Rijiju

Parliament news updates: Catch all the latest news developments here

Rajya Sabha witnesses marathon debate to pass Waqf Amendment Bill

Tabling the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju listed the amendments that the government has brought in the redrafted Bill

China takes up land, ally US impose tariffs: Rahul Gandhi slams govt in LS

Rahul Gandhi claimed that the recently announced US tariffs is going to 'completely devastate' the Indian economy, particularly sectors like the auto industry, pharmaceuticals and agriculture

Anurag Thakur should resign if he can't prove allegations, says Kharge

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit back at Anurag Thakur for hurling "wild allegations" at him, and dared the BJP MP to prove the charges or else resign. Referring to certain remarks made by Thakur in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during the discussion on the Waqf bill, the Congress president said the remarks have damaged his reputation. Thakur's remarks have been expunged from the records. Several opposition parties also staged a walkout from the House on the issue. Raising the issue during the morning session in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said his life has always been an open book, and he has always upheld the highest values in public life. "After almost 60 years in politics, I do not deserve this. Yesterday, completely false and baseless charges were hurled at me in the Lok Sabha by Anurag Thakur. When he was challenged by my colleagues, he was compelled to withdraw his defamatory remarks," he said. "But the damage has been done. All the media

Kiren Rijiju tables Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha; discussions begin

The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha by a division of votes, with 288 in favour and 232 against

Waqf (Amendment) Bill debate moves to Rajya Sabha - What's the road ahead?

The Waqf Bill now faces a key test in Rajya Sabha (236 seats). NDA needs 119 votes and has 125 with independents. The opposition holds 95, while 16 members remain undecided

Over 50 foreign varsities applied to UGC for approval: Pradhan in RS

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that three foreign universities are currently operating in the country and the University Grants Commission (UGC) is likely to grant approval to 50 qualitative foreign varsities in the coming times in the interest of students. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, the minister said the University Act, 1956 says that UGC can amend its rules going by the needs of the time. "Around 14-15 lakh students of the country study abroad and a lot of our resources go into foreign land. Keeping that in view and to develop higher research within the country, it would be proper to bring in foreign universities. With this in mind, UGC has amended its rules," Pradhan told the Rajya Sabha. He said not two but three foreign universities are operating in India currently. Over 50 qualitative foreign universities are in talks with different state governments and have reached the UGC for permission, he added. "In the

Executive alone responsible for governance in democracy, says VP Dhankhar

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said 'governance in democracy is solely the executive's role, not the courts', stressing its accountability to Parliament and the people who elect it