Parliament's approval of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, a contentious piece of legislation aimed at reforming Waqf bodies, has sparked strong reactions from the opposition, who allege that the bill was "bulldozed" through Parliament. The bill, considered the government's most consequential legislation in its third term, was passed with comfortable majorities in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha despite opposition claims of a lack of consultation and an intrusion into religious affairs. Other notable bills approved during the session included the Finance Bill, Appropriation Bill, Immigration and Foreigners Bill, and Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill. The session, which saw high productivity, also witnessed debates on issues such as economic distress, delimitation, and the three-language policy. While the government touted its achievements, the opposition criticized the government's approach and vowed to challenge the Waqf bill in court.
A Joint Committee of Parliament has deferred the adoption of a draft report on a bill proposing the suspension, not permanent removal, of the prime minister, Union ministers, and chief ministers if detained for 30 days on serious criminal charges, opting for more consultations.
The parliamentary committee scrutinizing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has been granted an extension until the last day of the next Budget Session. This decision follows a heated meeting marked by a walkout from opposition members who expressed concerns about the committee's draft report. The committee will visit several states to meet stakeholders and finalize its report.
To prevent accidents and security breaches, Parliament issues a new advisory urging MPs to limit their vehicle speed to 10 kmph within the complex.
The Budget session of Parliament is set to start on a stormy note on Tuesday with issues like the Jawaharlal Nehru University row, Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide and Pathankot terror strike set to dominate the proceedings.
The budget session of Parliament will begin on February 21 and the general budget is slated to be presented to Lok Sabha on February 28.The decision to recommend the date for convening of the session to the President was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also Leader of the House in Lok Sabha.
While the session will begin with the President's address to the joint sitting of the two Houses, the same day the pre-budget economic survey will be tabled.
The budget session of the Parliament begins today.
Three laws passed in Parliament could boost central revenues, reshape GST cess flows, shift MGNREGA costs to states and create new budget headroom ahead of the 2026-2027 Union Budget, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The government may introduce some important bill, sources said.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court is considering a plea regarding incarcerated MP Amritpal Singh's absence from Parliament, which has reached 59 sittings. The court has been informed that Singh can apply for condoning his absence, as continuous absence for 60 sittings could lead to his seat being declared vacant.
Former telecom minister and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam Member of Parliament A Raja is set to approach the Central Bureau of Investigation court to seek permission to attend the Budget Session of Parliament.On Wednesday, Raja received a letter from President Pratibha Patil convening the Lok Sabha from March 12, 2012.
Several parties had requested that the session, which was originally scheduled to continue till April 8, be curtailed due to the five assembly elections being held in eight phases till April 29.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has initiated a 'substantive motion' against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The country's 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs should resolve in this historic year to return to the people the favour they have been doing by relentlessly nurturing democracy over the last 70 years, he said.
The suspension of eight opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha is likely to be revoked, following a decision made at a meeting convened by Speaker Om Birla. The MPs were suspended in February for unruly behaviour during the Budget session.
Budget session is likely to start from Feb 25.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said elections keep happening but Parliament's Budget session is very important and urged all MPs to make it fruitful.
The government and the Opposition have agreed to debate the JNU controversy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Day 2 of Parliament's Budget session. At a meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to BJP lawmakers was -- "debate aggressively".
The government and the Opposition have agreed to debate the JNU controversy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Day 2 of Parliament's Budget session. At a meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to BJP lawmakers was -- "debate aggressively".
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticises Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary conduct, accusing him of being unduly influenced by advisors and questioning his casual attire in the House.
The session will begin with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha assembled together in the Central Hall and chambers of both the Houses in view of the COVID-19 situation.
This is the Upper House's third best productive session in the last 14 sessions since the Monsoon Session (243rd Session) of 2017, the Rajya Sabha officials said.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announces the debate and vote on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will occur on March 9. The Budget Session's second part will also address important legislation and critical bills.
The Rohith Vemula suicide and the Jawaharlal Nehru University row continues to dominate the discussions in Parliament on Day 3 of the Budget Session.
Lok Sabha could function for only 45 hours this Budget Session against its scheduled 133.6 hours because of daily disruptions and frequent adjournments, a think tank data has shown.
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.
The Rohith Vemula suicide and the Jawaharlal Nehru University row continues to dominate the discussions in Parliament on Day 4 of the Budget Session.
With the three-day special sitting of Parliament on the constitution amendment bill related to the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls set to begin on Thursday, a meeting of opposition parties is slated to be held on Wednesday at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Top leaders of the alliance met at Vajpayee's residence in the morning and decided to extend the boycott to the entire session.
It is the anti-rape law that poses the biggest challenge.
Notwithstanding pressure from pro-Telangana groups, the Centre may not take any decision on the demand for a separate state during the ongoing budget session of Parliament, which will continue till May 10. A government functionary said internal consultations within the government and the Congress Party have been going on and so a decision during the budget session is not likely.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday kept the hopes alive of many a ministerial aspirants by promising a "more expansive" exercise after the budget session of Parliament which concludes in May.
The opposition leaders are expected to meet at Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office in the Parliament complex around 10 am, sources said.
The Budget session of Parliament is all set for a stormy start on Tuesday with major opposition parties planning to corner the government.
The government rejected the opposition's demands for discussions on the VB-G RAM G Act and the SIR in the Budget session of Parliament, stating that the issues had already been debated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that there have been no attempts from abroad to stoke trouble in India ahead of the Parliament's Budget session, which begins on Saturday. Modi's statement comes as his government prepares to present its first full-fledged budget in its third term. He expressed confidence that the Budget session will infuse new confidence and energy in attaining the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, and said his government has been working in a mission mode for an all-round development.
The standoff between the government and the Opposition over the issue of Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G spectrum, which led to the washing out of Parliamentary business in the entire winter session, could cast its shadow even on the budget session. And indication to this was given by Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav on Saturday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju indicated that the government may bring a bill to increase seats in the Lok Sabha, potentially to implement reservation for women in the legislature. The Opposition has raised concerns about the timing and implications of the proposed bills.
The two Houses of Parliament will meet at separate times of the day for five hours each -- Rajya Sabha in the first half and Lok Sabha in the second half -- to ensure Covid distancing norms during the Budget Session beginning January 31.
