AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced that Rahul Gandhi would lead the INDIA bloc in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, dismissing reports of TVK proposing C Joseph Vijay as a prime ministerial candidate. Venugopal highlighted Gandhi's widespread appeal and campaigns on key issues, while also addressing internal alliance differences and criticising the BJP government's actions.
Several vital parliamentary committees, including those dealing with ethics, rules, and financial matters, are yet to be formally reconstituted. This delay affects the functioning of the Lok Sabha and the oversight of government operations.
The Lok Sabha on Thursday suspended newly-elected AAP member Sushil Kumar Rinku for the remaining part of the monsoon session for unruly behaviour in the house.
'Their functioning is flawed, they are not accountable, they are opaque, they are non-transparent, they have lost credibility.'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for alleging the 'criminal destruction' of the Tata Group, urging him to refrain from 'politicising' commercial and legal matters and accusing him of trying to incite business leaders.
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra was expelled on Friday from the Lok Sabha after the House adopted the report of its Ethics Committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interest.
The judges questioned the government's position on arbitration, underscoring the contradiction between its resistance to enforcement and its efforts to promote India as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction.
The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition seeking an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks on Sikhs during a US visit in 2024. The court affirmed Gandhi's right to free speech as an elected representative, stating that raising concerns about minorities, even on foreign soil, does not automatically constitute an offence. This ruling upholds previous rejections by Varanasi courts.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition amidst ongoing protests for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and scrapping of SIR. Shah predicted a "crushing defeat" for the Congress in the 2029 general elections, citing the BJP's and NDA's strong public support and the Congress's dismal performance in recent bypolls and local body elections across several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tripura. He urged the Congress to introspect instead of engaging in "negative politics" and "fabricated media events."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted in Lok Sabha that the Opposition cannot dictate which minister responds to questions, amidst demands for Home Minister Amit Shah to address police action on protesting students. The House faced continuous disruptions, leading to adjournment.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday moved the women's reservation bill for passage in the Lok Sabha, saying it is a very important bill and urging members to pass it with unanimity.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said it was the most productive session since 1952.
Delhi's Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has warned that a proposed Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 could severely disrupt business in 21 major wholesale and retail markets during the peak festive season. The CTI has urged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to postpone the rally until after Bhai Dooj on November 10 or move it to an alternative venue, citing potential losses of up to Rs 10,000 crore due to traffic congestion and road closures.
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea seeking the recall of its recent split verdict regarding the 2023 law on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. This law notably excludes the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel, a change from a previous Supreme Court directive.
Campaigning for May 13 elections in 96 Lok Sabha constituencies across 10 states and Union territories including all seats in Andhra Pradesh, where assembly elections are also being held concurrently, and Telangana concluded on Saturday evening.
The Lok Sabha secretariat on Wednesday restored the membership of Nationalist Congress Party leader P P Mohammed Faizal, who was disqualified from the lower house in January following his conviction in a criminal case with a 10-year jail term.
The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a nationwide protest against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's "indecent and offensive" remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Kharge retorted "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" during a speech.
By-elections across several Indian states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, concluded peacefully with high voter turnouts. The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam recorded 76% polling, while Tamil Nadu's Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly Constituencies saw 83.86% and 78.53% respectively. Puducherry's Thattanchavady registered 78.83%, and West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies had nearly 79% turnout.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, in her upcoming memoir "Belonging: A Journey of Love," states that her mother-in-law, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, considered the decision to impose the Emergency a mistake and eventually came to feel the same. Gandhi also suggests that keeping Sanjay Gandhi "in check" could have prevented much of the subsequent damage. She reveals family divisions over the decision, with Rajiv Gandhi opposing it and Sanjay Gandhi pushing for it. Sonia Gandhi further notes that Indira Gandhi later publicly expressed regret for the excesses during that period.
The marriage was fixed by mutual consent after both families met in Aligarh.
Lok Sabha on Monday turned into a battleground for the Delhi assembly polls with Bharatiya Janata Party member Ramvir Singh Bidhuri launching an all-out attack on the Aam Aadmi Party government, alleging that they 'looted' the national capital and turned it into 'hell'.
Biennial polls for eight Bihar Legislative Council seats resulted in significant upsets, with five sitting MLCs, including from BJP and Congress, losing. The fledgling Jan Suraaj Party secured its first victory. BJP won three seats, Independents two, while RJD, Jan Suraaj, and JD(U) each secured one. The results highlighted infighting within the INDIA bloc and a strong performance by new political forces.
Sonia Gandhi's memoir "Belonging: A Journey Of Love" details the political targeting of her son, Rahul Gandhi, by the BJP and Narendra Modi government. She asserts that neither she nor Rahul received any monetary benefit from the National Herald revival process, despite facing legal challenges. The book also touches upon the legal issues faced by Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Vadra, and highlights the family's resilience.
The committee headed by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar is meeting later on Thursday to adopt its draft report in what is likely to be hotly contested by opposition members of the panel.
Five southern states are stepping up coordination on delimitation, tax devolution and language issues, reviving calls for a stronger collective South platform.
Over 14,000 members of the academic and scientific community have petitioned Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking intervention against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "gau mutra expert" remark concerning IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti during parliamentary proceedings. The petition calls for the withdrawal of the derogatory expression, arguing it undermines the dignity of an eminent scientist and the institution he leads, and urges for respectful democratic discourse.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is facing significant scrutiny after an investigation revealed objections from his fellow election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, regarding decisions made during the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. The objections, reportedly made at least 14 times, concerned issues like changes to voter registration forms and centralised control over electoral roll databases, intensifying criticism of Kumar's tenure and the EC's impartiality.
Five people were shot dead at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati on Monday night following a dispute between the hotel owner and its leaseholder. The accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, was apprehended, and a .32-bore licensed pistol was seized. The incident, stemming from a property dispute, has led to concerns about law and order.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday dismissed concerns about the stability of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government. His comments came after MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi resigned from the party, citing abandonment of key election promises, and amid reports of internal differences following a recent Cabinet expansion. Choudhary asserted the government's strength and criticised the BJP.
Immediately after the House met, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to sitting MPs Rattan Lal Kataria and Balubhau alias Suresh Narayan Dhanorkar. He also said that 11 former members passed away in the last few months and read out their names.
Ruling TVK legislators are advocating for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as their Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, a move dismissed by the Congress party which insists on Rahul Gandhi as their choice. This internal conflict within the alliance highlights a growing divide over national political ambitions.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addresses Parliament on Operation Sindoor, denying any US trade linkage and highlighting Pakistan's request for a ceasefire through the DGMO channel.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held the core group meeting of five states on Saturday at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
The Election Commission of India clarified its position after INDIA bloc MPs marched to its office, stating that no formal appointment was sought until late afternoon. The EC later declined a request to meet 240 MPs at the Parliament House Annexe, citing protocol that meetings must be held at the EC premises. The incident involved a protest march led by Rahul Gandhi and a standoff with police.
The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, conducted using ballot papers, have reignited the debate over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) versus ballot papers ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls. While the BJP maintained its lead, the Samajwadi Party made significant gains, prompting renewed calls for ballot paper usage in future elections.
The Congress party has issued a whip to its MPs in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, mandating their presence from August 10-12 for discussions on "very important" issues. This directive comes amidst reports of potential debates on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, and a Constitution Amendment Bill concerning delimitation, though the government's official business list did not explicitly mention these.
Punjab had recorded a voter turnout of 65.96 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls for the 13 seats.
The decision on Rahul Gandhi's appointment as the Leader of Opposition was made after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence.
'This Lok Sabha election is more of a trial for GenAI content.'
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the deadly 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors' gallery, shouted slogans and released yellow smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House.
