Former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday appeared all set to become Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha after his appointment as Leader of Congress in the Upper House.
Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh said it was passed by Lok Sabha with 'near consensus' and hoped that the Upper House too will follow suit.
The BJP holds 28 of the 59 Rajya Sabha seats that will soon face election.
Running a fractious House full of members every bit as well versed in parliamentary law as the chair, has, in the past, reduced several Rajya Sabha chairmen to tears.
As vice president and ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankar is inheriting a troubled legacy. Although the government faces no real numerical challenges in the Upper House, political and legal challenges are there aplenty.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till Tuesday after the tabling of the Budget.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has dismissed allegations of 'seat theft' in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, asserting that Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination was deliberately undermined by her own party leaders who were vying for the same seat.
Recent BJP organisational moves and Rajya Sabha nominations have sparked speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may soon undertake a ministerial reshuffle.
The BSP chief said she does not want to see any damage to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance.
In the Upper House of Parliament, where the Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up on Wednesday, the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the UPA.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Jyoti Waghmare has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW) against UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut, alleging continuous use of abusive language and public insult of women representatives. Waghmare has sought the registration of a criminal case against Raut, citing his conduct over the past four years and its negative impact on Maharashtra's political culture.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
Rajya Sabha will sit for late hours in last week of the first half of the budget session from Monday to clear the pending legislative and other businesses.
Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq is illegal, void and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
The Opposition on Saturday forced Law Minister Kapil Sibal to apologise in Rajya Sabha for failing to get a Constitution Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he "misled" the Upper House while getting it passed in "haste".
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after uproar by the Opposition.
Union Minister Prakash Javdekar on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, which goes to polls on June 19.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the completion of "Operation Tiger" as six Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) officially defected to the ruling Shiv Sena. This move further formalises a split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, strengthening Shinde's party and marking a significant political development in Maharashtra.
The first session will commence in the third week of June with the oath-taking by the newly elected candidates as members of the House, the sources said, adding the oath-taking is likely to continue for two days, following which a new Speaker will be elected.
Former Union minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel on Thursday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha election in Maharashtra slated for June 19.
Sinh, who has been in the BJP earlier and was elected to Lok Sabha on its ticket in 90s, wields considerable influence in the Amethi region of Uttar Pradesh.
As more opposition MPs are now aligning with the ruling NDA, sources in the government indicated that possibilities are being explored to give a fresh push to the delimitation legislation in Parliament.
'You cannot run Parliament with 800 MPs as nobody will get time (to speak in Parliament). And Parliament sits for barely 60 days in a year.' 'Look at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. They have 650 MPs and they sit for 150 days on an average in a year.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building Sunday morning and installed the scared 'Sengol' in the Lok Sabha chamber, right next to the Speaker's chair, after performing a puja.
The Bharatiya Janata Party replaced at least 25 sitting MPs with new faces as the party released its second list of 72 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Wednesday.
Senior Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi is likely to initiate the debate from the opposition side, the sources said.
The new Lok Sabha will have 300 MPs who have been elected for the first time to the Lower House.
A group of rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs reportedly met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, claiming support of six members, while Uddhav Thackeray loyalists deny any defection. The party has issued a whip for a crucial meeting, and the anti-defection law's implications are being discussed amidst allegations of bribery.
Sources said the party top brass including Gandhi and Kharge held several hours of discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, apart from meeting them separately, and is likely to take a call on a possible change of guard in the state after the Rajya Sabha polls, which are due next month.
Outgoing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samajwadi Party president Mayawati on Tuesday filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha.
Harivansh is likely to be elected as the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman for a third term as the opposition has decided to boycott the election in protest.
The women's Reservation Bill is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday during the ongoing special session of the Parliament and in Rajya Sabha on September 21, government sources said.
Since Independence, Lok Sabha Speakers have been chosen by consensus.
Be it Assam, Haryana or Delhi, the Congress is facing one crisis after another regarding its Rajya Sabha nominations, reports Renu Mittal.
The 1977-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer took oath in English after which he greeted the Chairman and other members present in the House.
23 political parties of the INDIA bloc will meet on Monday to redraw their strategy to take on the BJP and iron out differences amid changed power dynamics after the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.
Ambedkar Rajan's nomination comes as no surprise to the BSP cadre as it is well known that Mayawati depends on him and seeks his word regarding every major issue.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Dina Patil allegedly abused and threatened journalists, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ask him to express regret. The incident occurred after journalists questioned Patil about a letter from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and his daughter's political stance, leading to a political controversy.
Six of the nine Shiv Sena-UBT Lok Sabha MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary meeting, signalling a likely split and potential merger with the Eknath Shinde-led faction, which could trigger disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law.
The Act deals with automatic disqualification of MPs and state legislators upon being convicted and sentenced for two years or more in a criminal case.
