Punjab Assembly

Don't create panic ahead of Baisakhi: Akal Takht Jathedar to Punjab govt

Concerned by the deployment of heavy security here, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh Friday asked the Punjab government to not try to create panic ahead of Baisakhi. The Jathedar called a special gathering at Takht Damdama Sahib on Friday to discuss the role of Sikh and Punjabi journalism, Sikh media contribution, and challenges the state is facing at present. The gathering comes at a time when concerns about the rise of secessionist forces in the border state are being expressed, especially in the wake of a major law and order breach in Ajnala Police Station attack led by radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who has been declared a fugitive by police. Addressing the gathering, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, said because of the security strictness, only a fraction of the usual number of devotees has come here this time ahead of Baisakhi. "Every year, we see a big gathering which starts from April 5 (for Baisakhi). But (at present), the number of

Ruckus in Punjab Assembly as Speaker disallows Congress' adjournment motion

Noisy scenes were seen in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday after the Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion of the Congress on the law and order issue in the state. As Question Hour began in the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha here, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa asked the Speaker about the adjournment motion on the law and order issue moved by his party. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan told Bajwa that it has been disallowed. Bajwa asked the Speaker to give the Congress members some time to speak on the law and order issue in the state. It is wrong, said Bajwa when the Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion. All the Congress MLAs then rushed to the Well of the House and shouted slogans. The Speaker asked the Congress legislators that in Delhi, their party says that the House was not being allowed to run. Here they themselves (Congress MLAs) were not allowing the House to run, he said. Sandhwan told the protesting Congress MLAs, "I want

Punjab assembly passes resolution to regulate expensive medicines

The Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution recommending the state government to cap the profit margins on medicines charged by private players. Politicians from both sides of the aisle recommended the state to take up with the Centre the "looting" of people by exorbitantly priced medicines. Raising the matter in the ongoing budget session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, some members suggested capping of profit margins on medicines, while many others, mainly from opposition, demanded strengthening of the government health sector in the state. As he moved the resolution in the House, AAP MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, Dr Charanjit Singh, said exorbitant rates of medicines was robbing people of their money forcing many people to sell their properties to afford costly medicines. Not only chemists, but several known private hospitals are selling medicines at higher prices than MRP, said Singh, adding that the matter was not peculiar to Punjab, but afflicts the whole country. He said ..

Punjab stalemate ends: Guv Purohit approves Sep 27 assembly session

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has approved the state government's request to hold a one-day assembly session on September 27, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said Sunday, indicating the stalemate between the AAP dispensation and the government over the issue has ended. The governor's approval came a day after the AAP government informed him about the issues to be taken up during the session. "Hon. Governor, Punjab, has very kindly acceded to our request and summoned the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for its third session on 27.9.2022 at 11.00 AM at Chandigarh," Speaker said in a tweet. The Bhagwant Mann-led government on Saturday informed the governor that the issues like stubble burning, goods and services tax and power supply will be discussed in the session on September 27. This came after the governor on Friday had asked for details of the legislative business to be taken up in the session, sparking a strong reaction from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had said "it's too ..

AAP legislators march against cancellation of Punjab Assembly session

AAP legislators on Thursday took out a march in protest against the cancellation of the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here. Carrying placards with messages of "Stop murder of democracy" and "Operation Lotus murdabad'", the party MLAs slammed the Congress and the BJP for allegedly being hand in glove and working against holding the special session of the state assembly. However, the AAP legislators were stopped from moving towards the Governor's residence. Police had put up barricades around one km from the Vidhan Sabha complex. The protesting MLAs sat down where they were stopped and started shouting slogans against the Congress and BJP. No state minister was seen participating in the protest. The decision to take out the march was taken after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chaired a meeting of AAP legislators at Vidhan Sabha complex Thursday morning to decide the next course of action after cancellation of the special session. The AAP legislators also hit out at Gove

CM Mann holds AAP's meeting after Punjab assembly session gets cancelled

A meeting of AAP legislators chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is here underway on Thursday to discuss the next strategy after the governor cancelled the special session of the state assembly called to bring a confidence motion. AAP legislators on Thursday morning reached the assembly complex for the meeting. A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has also been called after the MLAs meeting, party sources said. Later, a march will also be taken out by the AAP legislators here, they said. AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha said the next strategy will be decided at the meeting. Another AAP MLA and senior leader Baljinder Kaur dubbed the governor's move of withdrawing his earlier order calling the special session as a "mockery of democracy". In an embarrassment to the AAP government in Punjab, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday thwarted the Bhagwant Mann-led regime's plan to summon a special assembly session to bring a confidence motion. The governor withdrew an earlier order callin

Punjab assembly passes resolution against the Agnipath recruitment scheme

Participating in the discussion on the resolution, Mann said he will soon raise the issue of Agnipath scheme with the prime minister and the Union home minister

Punjab assembly: Oppn parties slam AAP govt, call budget 'directionless'

Opposition parties targeted the AAP-led govt in Punjab over its maiden budget, calling it directionless and claiming that it betrayed" the women of the state as no funds were earmarked for them

AAP presents 1st budget in Punjab; provision for 300 units of free power

Punjab FM Harpal Singh Cheema said budgetary provisions have been made for giving 300 units of free electricity to the households from July 1, as the AAP govt presented its first budget for FY23

Punjab CM Mann to address state Assembly today on 2nd day of budget session

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will address the state Legislative Assembly on the second day of the Budget session on Saturday

Punjab Cong leader Bajwa seeks resolution on Agnipath in state assembly

Bajwa, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, also requested the state government to take an all-party delegation to meet the prime minister over the Agnipath scheme.

Sacked Punjab minister Vijay Singla sent to 14-day judicial custody

A Mohali court on Friday sent to 14-day judicial custody sacked Punjab minister, who said he worked with 'utmost sincerity', has full faith in his party and will come out clean of corruption charges.

Punjab people will soon get a good news, says CM Bhagwant Mann

Mann also said he had a meeting with AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi

Punjab Assembly resolution on Chandigarh 'mere piece of paper': Surjewala

Congress general secretary and former Haryana minister Randeep Surjewala dubbed the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly for transfer of Chandigarh to it as a mere piece of paper having no meaning

What BJP's win in assembly 2022 elections means for stock market investors

Markets have given thumbs up to BJP's victory in 4 of the 5 states in assembly elections. Analysts say the victory will support markets in the medium run, but investors must watch out for headwinds

AAP to launch massive membership drive in southern states, take out marches

AAP has decided to launch a massive membership drive in the southern states to build on the momentum of its stupendous victory in the Punjab Assembly polls.

After landslide victory in Punjab, AAP set to gain in Rajya Sabha polls

With a landslide victory in Punjab under its belt, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears set to make big inroads in Rajya Sabha.

Punjab polls: AAP greenhorn, eye surgeon make Channi bite the dust

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was defeated by AAP's first-timer and an eye surgeon from Bhadaur and Chamkaur Sahib seats, respectively.

Assembly polls: BJP soars as space further shrinks for Congress, AAP rises

BJP's splendid performance in the four states ruled by it, sweeping away opposition parties with its governance model and PM Modi's popularity has made it the firm favourites for the 2024 elections

Punjab polls: Sukhbir Badal defeated from Jalalabad seat by AAP rival

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal lost to AAP's Jagdeep Kamboj from Jalalabad seat in Punjab's Fazilka district, according to poll results declared on Thursday.