Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, concluding a Budget session marked by the passage of key legislations and the defeat of a Constitution amendment bill on women's reservation. The session saw frequent opposition protests and discussions on various issues, including the West Asia conflict.
Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing the LPG crisis, lack of energy security, and concerns over the Economic Stabilisation Fund.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces increased domestic LPG production to offset import disruptions caused by Middle East tensions, alongside assurances of fertiliser availability and the clearing of UPA-era oil bonds.
The disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the Olympics after being found overweight before the final bout also saw the government and Opposition come to blows in Parliament.
Among parties, the NCP stood out with five of its MPs raising an average of 410 questions each. On the other hand, two Apna Dal (Soneylal) raised only five questions each on average.
The stormy second part of Budget Session continues. Both houses of Parliament have been facing continuous protests by opposition parties over issues like fuel price hike.
While Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar repeatedly appealed to the protesting members to take their seats, the unrelenting MPs continued to raise slogans.
The need for finding options for proper functioning of Parliament is of paramount importance as the frequency of the passage of Budgets and other economic Bills without discussion or debate has only increased in the last few years, notes A K Bhattacharya.
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.
Not amused by imposition of President's Rule by the Centre, Rawat termed it as the 'murder of democracy'.
Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has given adjournment motion notice over the issue of 'imposition of excise duty on diesel, petrol and other petroleum products'.
In the Upper House of Parliament, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow adjournment notices moved by opposition members on the issue of price rise, prompting members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Left parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Shiv Sena to create an uproar.
The bills were passed by voice vote.
The Nainital high court on Wednesday declined the Centre's plea seeking more time to argue Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat's plea against President's rule in the state.
The development came even as Uttarakhand is set to have a vote of confidence on Tuesday to determine whether Congress leader Harish Rawat has enough numbers to retain power in the state that is currently under the President's Rule.
A division bench comprising justices K M Joseph and V K Bisht asked the Centre to file its response by April 5 after the Union government's counsel Rakesh Thapaliyal sought more time from the court to furnish its reply.
"The hearing has been concluded. I will pronounce the judgment at 10.15 am on May 9," Justice U C Dhyani said in brief remarks counsel at the conclusion of nearly three hours of arguments on both sides.
Amid ongoing uncertainty over the fate of Harish Rawat government which will face floor test in Uttarakhand assembly on March 28, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday claimed that at least five more MLAs from the Congress led alliance are ready to jump over to its side.
Both Houses met for the first time in the second part of Budget Session and saw repeated adjournments as the Opposition continued protests.
Parliament passes Budget for 2007-08 with Rajya Sabha returning the Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill by voice vote.
Survey likely to be tabled in July by the new government.
Within three months of the Samajwadi Party coming to power in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday gave an assurance in the Legislative Council that agricultural loans to farmers in the state would be waived. Winding up the discussion on the Appropriation Bill, which was later returned by the House, Yadav said his government has taken a number of decisions within three months of the SP coming to power.
The apex court sought to know whether the governor could have sent a message in the present manner under Article175 (2) to conduct a floor test and if delay in the floor test can be a ground for the proclamation of President's rule in the state.
The Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the Railways for withdrawing additional funds of Rs 1024.61 crore (Rs 10.24 billion) for 2010-11 amidst din.
'Today, we being the majority pass a law and if the Opposition parties do not like it, they throw files at the Chair, and beat up women marshals.'
Most of the Budget work is done; only some "final touches" remain. For those, he will soon sit with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh--who was governor of the Reserve Bank during Mukherjee's stint in North Block in the 80s--before his draft speech goes to print.
The Uttarakhand high court on Tuesday ordered a floor test in the assembly on March 31, giving a new turn to the political events in the state where President's Rule was imposed on Sunday.
Hours after President's rule was imposed in Uttarakhand, nine rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified from the state assembly.
Congress members trooped into the Well of the House, raising slogans against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Leader of the House and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said no discussion other than on proclamation of President's Rule in Uttarakhand can take place.
The retrospective amendment will help BJP and Congress escape the fallout of a 2014 Delhi high court judgment that held both guilty of violating the FCRA.
While listing the matter for hearing on April 27, the bench said that the high court shall provide the judgement passed on Thursday to the parties by April 26 and on the same date the copy of the verdict shall also be placed before the apex court.
The court adjourned till Wednesday the hearing on the Centre's appeal against the Uttarakhand high court verdict revoking President's rule in the state.
Uttarakhand was on Sunday brought under President's rule by the Centre on grounds of "breakdown of governance" in a controversial decision.
The magic figure for simple majority was 105, equivalent to the strength of the BJP, which also commanded the support of an Independent.
Twenty two legislators belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Bharatiya Janata Party along with two independent MLAs associated with them were on Monday suspended from the Andhra Pradesh assembly for two days for constantly disrupting proceedings of the House on the Telangana statehood issue.
With logjam in the Upper House leaving key bills in the limbo, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari has called an all-party meeting on Friday.
As soon as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the Question Hour, members from these parties trooped into the Well holding placards.
With barely a week left, the session has been able to accomplish next to no legislative business, says Aditi Phadnis
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