Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has denied allegations made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju that she incited Congress MPs during a protest in Speaker Om Birla's chamber, asserting that no abuse occurred.
Top leaders of opposition parties including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, besides Left leaders and those from smaller parties, are likely to attend the meeting at the Constitution Club in the national capital.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran objected to the provision of simultaneous interpretation of Lok Sabha proceedings in Sanskrit, calling it a waste of taxpayers' money fueled by RSS ideology. Speaker Om Birla defended the decision, asserting that Sanskrit is India's primary language and that simultaneous interpretation is available in 22 recognized languages, including Hindi and Sanskrit.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay's meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and allegedly with Home Minister Amit Shah has ignited fresh political speculation about his potential defection and the formation of a dissident parliamentary faction, further deepening the turmoil within the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
'It was done with record speed. First, a revolt of the MLAs, which was obviously engineered.' ''No one believed me when I said the MLAs breaking away is not the real issue.' 'It is like a comet. The head doesn't matter, the tail matters.' 'And the tail is Parliament. Suvendu has gifted the prime minister 20 MPs.'
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticizes the behavior of opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha, alleging disruptive conduct and disrespect towards the Prime Minister and the House's dignity.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a deepening internal crisis marked by fresh resignations and an escalating rebellion, even as its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss opposition coordination and the future of the INDIA bloc.
Cracks appeared in the opposition ranks as some parties showed willingness to participate in the budget debate, while the government insisted on equal speaking opportunities for all members amidst ongoing disruptions.
The TMC is grappling with an extraordinary internal paradox as its legislative faction in West Bengal pledges 'constructive opposition' against the BJP, while a significant portion of its Lok Sabha MPs surprisingly aligns with the BJP-led NDA, exposing a profound ideological schism within the party.
The Lok Sabha has revoked the suspension of eight opposition MPs after assurances of maintaining order and decorum in the House. The decision follows a period of disruption and debate over parliamentary conduct.
A Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and increasing Lok Sabha seats was defeated in Parliament, marking a setback for the government's efforts to empower women in politics.
President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi congratulated India's U-19 team after their record sixth World Cup win, powered by Vaibhav Suryavanshi's stunning 175 against England in the final.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticized former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's remarks about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill being "bulldozed through" the Lower House. Birla said a senior member casting aspersions on the House proceedings was "most unfortunate" and against the dignity of parliamentary democracy. He pointed out that the bill was debated for 13 hours and 53 minutes with several members participating and was passed after multiple divisions.
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.
Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court has resigned amid impeachment proceedings sparked by the discovery of burnt currency at his residence, raising questions about judicial conduct and accountability.
The first leg of the Budget session concluded with debates over the India-US trade deal and a former army chief's memoir, and will reassemble on March 9.
Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over an incident in which he had tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval hosted Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman for a dinner meeting, signalling efforts to repair bilateral ties after a period of heightened diplomatic tension.
The remarks were made by the bench which refused to agree with the submission made on behalf of Justice Varma that the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha had no power to reject a motion and, under the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968, only the Speaker and the chairman have the power to accept or reject a motion against a judge.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, protesting being disallowed from speaking on a matter of national security, calling it a 'blot' on democracy.
The first such situation surfaced on December 18, 1954, when the Opposition moved a resolution for the removal of then Speaker Mavalankar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will move the motion today in the Lok Sabha to choose Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house amid a tussle for the post with the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
The INDIA bloc faces a significant challenge as the Congress and DMK part ways, raising questions about the alliance's future and unity.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has alleged that the BJP's "real and ultimate target" in seeking a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha is to amend the Constitution to end reservation, rather than genuinely implement women's reservation.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has reconstituted a three-member committee to investigate the potential removal of Justice Yashwant Varma following the recovery of cash from his residence. The committee has been granted a three-month extension.
Opposition parties have submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
When Gandhi started quoting the from unpublished book, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh questioned as to how material which is not published can be cited in the House.
The joint committee of Parliament examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill submitted its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday. The panel adopted the report by a majority vote, with changes suggested by members of the ruling BJP. Opposition members, who submitted dissent notes, called the exercise an attempt to destroy Waqf boards and termed the bill an attack on the constitutional rights of the Muslim community.
Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma has resigned, effectively halting impeachment proceedings initiated against him by the Lok Sabha following corruption allegations.
Just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, the Chair adjourned the House for the day soon after it reassembled at 5 pm.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
'It's a bit uncertain. Let's see what happens. But he is the top man of Assam, and since my politics is in Assam, I thought it's best to seek his guidance before I take any decision.'
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan rejected the opposition's motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing a lack of evidence of misbehaviour and the fact that some charges are under judicial review.
National Democratic Alliance nominee Om Birla was elected as Lok Sabha speaker on Wednesday after a motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was adopted through voice vote, capping intense debate on the issue with the opposition in a rare move proposing its own candidate.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has declined to comment on reports claiming he held discussions with CPI(M) members in Dubai. CPI(M) dismisses speculation about Tharoor joining, while Congress denies he is leaving.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged MPs on Monday to follow the prescribed format while taking oath or affirmation and not add words as it lowered the dignity of the Constitution.
Rijiju, however, did not specify when and who will give notice for privilege motion against Gandhi. It is believed that someone from treasury benches in the Lok Sabha will do so.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticized the Lok Sabha for denying Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi the opportunity to speak, calling it 'absolutely bizarre'. Tharoor stated that Gandhi should be allowed to voice his concerns and that preventing him from speaking undermines the purpose of Parliament.
