Rajya Sabha

Parliament adjourns: Budget session a near-washout amid Oppn protests

MPs of the Congress and DMK, mostly dressed in black, ignored the speaker's pleas and continued their protests

Govt blames Oppn for logjam in Parliament as productivity dives in Houses

The government on Thursday blamed the Opposition for the virtual washout of the second half of Parliament's Budget Session, saying the ruling BJP was ready to drop its demand, a likely reference to its insistence on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's apology, if opposition parties reciprocated its gesture on their stand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters after the session concluded that the government wanted a discussion on the Finance Bill before it was passed. "We were ready to give up our stand. But they should have also given up their stand. We had a strong stand," he said, without directly referring to the BJP stand. He noted that Speaker Om Birla had called a meeting to defuse the logjam, but the Opposition stuck to its stand. Meghwal said the productivity of Lok Sabha was 34 per cent and of Rajya Sabha 24.4 per cent during the session, which had begun on January 31. Overall

Linking of Aadhaar details with voter ID card yet to start: Rijiju in RS

Linking Aadhaar details with the voter identity card has not started yet, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday while noting that the exercise was "process driven" and no target or timelines have been given for the proposed linkage. In a written reply, he also asserted that the names of those who do not link their Aadhaar details with the voters' list will not be struck off the electoral rolls. Section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as amended by the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, provides for the electoral registration officers to require the existing or prospective elector to provide the Aadhaar number for establishing identity on a voluntary basis. The Election Commission had launched the programme to collect the Aadhaar number of existing and prospective electors on a voluntary basis from August 1, 2O22 in all the states and union territories. "Linking of Aadhaar is process driven and no targets or timelines have been given for .

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die, second leg of Budget Session concludes

Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned sine die, ending the four-week-long second leg of the Budget session, during which treasury and opposition members locked horns over Rahul Gandhi's "democracy" remark and the Adani issue. When Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2 pm after an adjournment in the morning session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed that the suspension of Congress MP Rajani Ashokrao Patil for filming proceedings of the House has been extended beyond the Budget Session based on the privileges committee's recommendations. Before that DMK's Tiruchi Siva and Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil sought clarity over the implications of Dhankhar's Wednesday decision to reject Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's objection to Rajya Sabha discussing a statement of Gandhi. The chairman, however, was firm on his decision. Amid protest by opposition members over the suspension issue, Dhankhar read out his valedictory remarks and adjourned Rajya Sabha sine die (for indefinite period). Earlie

Lok Sabha functioned for 45 hours, Rajya Sabha 31 hours this Budget Session

Parliament could function much less than the planned duration with daily protests and frequent adjournments disrupting the second half of the Budget Session, data compiled by a think tank showed. According to it, the Lok Sabha functioned for over 45 hours against a scheduled duration of 133.6 hours while the Rajya Sabha worked for over 31 hours out of 130 hours. This translates to Lok Sabha functioning for around 34.28 per cent of its scheduled duration and 24 per cent for the Rajya Sabha, the PRS Legislative Research said. Both Houses witnessed repeated adjournments of the Question Hour throughout the Session. The Lok Sabha could take questions for 4.32 hours while the figure for Rajya Sabha was worse at 1.85 hours for the entire Budget Session. In his concluding remarks, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the House held discussions on the General Budget for 14.45 hours, and 145 MPs participated in it. Discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address were held for 13 ho

'RS chairman allowed subversion of standing committee's basic function'

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar over the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, being sent to a joint committee, alleging that this was an "open and shut case" of his allowing the government to deliberately circumvent the standing committee concerned. Ramesh alleged that Dhankhar had allowed the "subversion of the Standing Committee's basic function". His letter to Dhankhar over the issue, the second in just over a week, came in response to a letter dated April 5 from Ranjit Punhani, Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, asking him to "state the exact premise" for his objection to the reference of the Bill to the joint committee. Ramesh heads the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. "This is an extraordinary request given, I have met you personally and also written to you on my objections. I have already informed you that the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bil

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid sloganeering by Oppn

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as MPs from the Congress and other opposition parties created a ruckus in the House, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into fraud allegations against the Adani Group. Opposition MPs started raising slogans as the listed papers were laid on the table of the House at the start of the day's proceedings. Several Congress MPs were dressed in black as a mark of protest. Sloganeering increased as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he has received a notice from Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge under Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha for suspension of the scheduled business of the day. Amid the din, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

Parliament clears amendments to competition law without any discussion

Parliament on Monday cleared the amendments to the competition law that will pave the way for promoting the ease of doing business as well as enhance the framework to deter entities from indulging in unfair business practices. Reduction of CCI's assessment time frame for combinations to 150 days from the date of filing the notice, introduction of a settlement and commitments framework and imposition of penalties on erring entities based on their global turnover are among the key features of the Competition (Amendment) Bill. The bill has been approved by Parliament nearly eight months after its introduction in Lok Sabha, which gave its nod on March 29. The bill was also referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, which tabled its report in Parliament on December 13 last year. Rajya Sabha approved the bill on Monday after Lok Sabha cleared the same on March 29. Amid din, both the Houses passed the bill without any discussion. Corporate Affairs and Finance Minister ...

Competition Bill Amendments passed in Rajya Sabha without discussion

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday after passing the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023 without discussion amid uproar by opposition members over the Adani issue. Soon after the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar greeted the members on the occasion of Rajya Sabha Day and urged them to participate in discussion, dialogue and deliberations instead of indulging in disruptions. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman then moved the the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for consideration and passage amid slogan-shouting by Opposition members. Dhankhar put the Bill to voice vote even as the Opposition members continued slogan shouting and passed it before adjourning the House for the day. The House will now meet on Wednesday. The bill, which was passed on March 29 by Lok Sabha, provides for the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to impose penalties on entities based on their global turnover instead of the current practice of considering

Parliament passes antitrust legislation on overseas mergers & acquisitions

The legislation was approved by the upper house of parliament on Monday. The lower house had ratified it last week. The bill will need a sign off from the president

After PM's 'supari to dent my image' remark, Sibal says let us know names

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that some people have given 'supari (contract)' to dent his image, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday urged the PM to name them and said "let us prosecute them". Addressing a gathering at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal after flagging off a Vande Bharat Express train, Modi had said that some people are hellbent to sully his image and they have given a "supari" (contract) for this purpose, colluding with certain people sitting in India and also outside the country. Reacting to the remarks, Sibal said, "Modi ji's charge: 'They have given a contract to..peoplesome within the country and some..,outside the country to dig Modi's grave'. Please let us know the names of these: 1) individuals 2) institutions or 3) countries." "This cannot be a state secret. Let us prosecute them," Sibal said. In his remarks, Modi had said, "There are some people in our country who have been determined since 2014, spoken publicly and declared their

472 prisoners sentenced to death as on Dec 31, 2021: Centre to Rajya Sabha

As many as 472 prisoners lodged in different jails across the country were sentenced to death and waiting for the next course of action as on December 31, 2021, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra also said that death sentence of 290 other prisoners have been commuted to life imprisonment. The highest number of convicts (total 67), who were awarded death penalty, were lodged in Uttar Pradesh, followed by 46 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 39 in Madhya Pradesh, 37 in West Bengal, 31 in Jharkhand and 27 in Karnataka, he said replying to a written question. The minister said among the 290 prisoners whose death sentence have been commuted to life imprisonment, 46 were in jails in Madhya Pradesh, 35 in Maharashtra, 32 in Uttar Pradesh, 30 in Bihar, 19 each in Karnataka and West Bengal and 18 in Gujarat.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till Monday amid Oppn uproar over Adani issue

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Monday amid uproar with Opposition members raising slogans demanding a JPC probe into the allegations against the Adani Group. Soon after the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, following an adjournment in the pre-lunch session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar gave the floor to Secretary General PC Mody to inform the members about a message from Lok Sabha that the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 has been passed and laid a copy of the bill amid slogan shouting by the opposition MPs. The chairman then took up the motion for nomination to the Joint Committee on the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023 and asked Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to move it. Yadav moved the motion to nominate Rajya Sabha members Ashok Bajpai, Anil Baluni, Samir Oraon and CM Ramesh (all BJP), Jawhar Sircar (AITC), Prashanta Nanda (BJD), Hishey Lachungpa (SDF), Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) in the committee besides two members to be nominated by the chairman. A

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid opposition ruckus

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday within minutes of assembling as opposition MPs kept raising slogans demanding a JPC probe into the allegations against the Adani Group. MPs of the Congress and other parties, several of them dressed in black, started raising slogans such as "Modi-Adani Bhai Bhai" as soon as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar took his seat. Amid slogan shouting, listed papers were tabled in the House. Members from opposition parties also raised slogans demanding a probe by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) into allegations of corporate fraud and stock price manipulations against the Adani Group of Companies. After the laying of papers, Dhankhar said he has received eight notices under Rule 267 of the House for suspension of listed business and take the matters mentioned in the notices. However, as slogans continued, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022, and The Constit

877 foreign firms ceased their 'place of business' in India in 2014-2021

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday said that Ford and Harley Davidson have not closed their place of business in India

India reported 1,317 H3N2 cases from January 1-March 21: Govt in RS

India reported 1,317 cases of H3N2 from January 1 to March 21, according to information provided by states and Union Territories, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), of the 510 H3N2 cases reported through ILI/SARI surveillance in the last two months, 19 patients required ICU admission, Pawar said in a written reply. As reported by the ICMR, the influenza working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization is reviewing the data for seasonal influenza vaccination, she added. Pawar added that the Union Health Ministry is monitoring the situation and has taken several steps to support the states for management of influenza cases, including H3N2. These include issuing an advisory requesting all the states and Union Territories to take necessary steps such closely following the trend of ILI/SARI (influenza-like illness/severe acute respiratory illness) in their

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as opposition protests over Adani issue

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned in the pre-lunch session on Tuesday as opposition MPs, several dressed in black, created a ruckus over the Adani issue. MPs of the Congress and other parties started raising slogans such as "Modi-Adani Bhai Bhai" as listed papers were being laid on the table of the House. Several Congress MPs were in the Well while other opposition members were on their feet. They were also raising slogans demanding a probe by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) into allegations of corporate fraud and stock price manipulations against the Adani Group. When Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was making a listed statement, opposition members raised the pitch of their sloganeering, apparently asking him to apologise for his remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. After the laying of papers and statements by ministers were over, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he has received notices under Rule 267 of the house for suspension of listed business and take the

Over 155,000 posts vacant in three forces, maximum in Army, says govt

The three armed forces are facing a deficiency of around 1.55 lakh personnel with the Army accounting for the maximum 1.36 lakh vacancies, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. In a written reply, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the shortage of armed forces personnel and mitigating measures are reviewed regularly and numerous measures have been initiated to fill the vacancies and encourage youth to join the Services. Bhatt said there is a shortage of 8,129 officers in the Indian Army that includes includes Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps. There are 509 vacant posts in the Military Nursing Service (MNS), and 1,27,673 posts of JCOs and other ranks are vacant as well. There are also 252 vacant posts in group A among the civilians employed by the forces, 2,549 vacancies are there in Group B, and 35,368 in Group C, the minister said. In the Navy, there is a deficiency of 12,428 personnel. There is a shortage of 1,653 officers, 29 medical and dental officers, and

Parliament completes Budgetary exercise for FY 2023024 amid ruckus

Parliamentary approval for the Budget for 2023-24 was on Monday completed after Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill with a fresh amendment and Rajya Sabha gave its nod to all the three related legislations without any debate amid continuing din over the Adani issue. First Rajya Sabha approved the Rs 45 lakh-crore spending proposed in the Budget, followed by the nod to the Finance Bill that contains tax proposals. It also approved the Appropriation Bill and Demands for Grants, besides Budget for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The nod to Finance Bill included a fresh amendment moved by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman that sought to correct the rate of STT (securities transaction tax) to be levied on trading of options and futures in the derivative market. After the Lok Sabha cleared the Finance Bill, which has 64 official amendments, the finance ministry on Friday issued a statement saying that there was a typographical error in the amendments with respect to the change in ST

Parliament approves Budget for 2023-24 amid ruckus by Opposition

The Finance Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with 64 official amendments on March 24 and was sent to the Rajya Sabha