A joint parliamentary committee tasked with examining the 'One Nation One Election' bill has been granted an extension until the end of the Winter session to submit its report. The 41-member committee is reviewing the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and is conducting nationwide consultations on implementing simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies by 2029.
A parliamentary committee has voiced concerns over ongoing examination irregularities despite government measures, recommending the Ministry of Education publish a time-bound roadmap for reforms. The panel also urged a nationwide blacklist of firms involved in exam processes and suggested utilising the National Testing Agency's financial surplus to enhance its capabilities.
Hours after controversial Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz failed to turn up before a judicial commission probing the memo scandal, a Pakistani parliamentary committee on Monday summoned him to appear before it on January 26.
Opposition parties in India are demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and national security in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. They raised concerns about federalism, national security, and the purity of voter lists during an all-party meeting.
A parliamentary panel has strongly recommended that the Indian government appoint a dedicated 'polar ambassador' to enhance its strategic engagement and diplomatic influence in the critical Arctic and Antarctic regions, aligning with global trends and India's growing focus on polar affairs.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said the parliamentary committee on national security will probe the issue of the secret memorandum sent to the United States military seeking help to prevent a military coup in the wake of the killing of Al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden.
Their message is blunt: Public scientific wealth should not be transferred at what they describe as 'throwaway prices'.capability, recruitment, promotional avenues and the voice of its employees.
The panel will likely play an important role as the Personal Data Protection Bill gets tabled in Parliament.
Amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET and CUET UG 2026 exams, the National Testing Agency (NTA) faced tough questions from a parliamentary standing committee regarding safeguards against paper leaks and hacking vulnerabilities.
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has issued an apology for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, while company executives acknowledged significant content moderation failures, including issues with child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, and the paid boosting of certain content.
The dramatic postponement came while members were voting on the committee's five principal recommendations, making it an unprecedented moment in the functioning of a parliamentary committee.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) stated that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) "is distributed only amongst the UPI ecosystem, to further invest into infrastructure resilience, innovation, cybersecurity (protecting the UPI infrastructure with banks and non-banks) and customer service."
The government is introducing a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant payments above Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends the zero-MDR regime, aiming to fund UPI infrastructure and sustainability, as the previous government subsidy was insufficient to cover operational costs. Payments between individuals and most everyday merchant transactions will remain free.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Shah assured that the bill would not be retrospective. Various church and minority organisations have expressed concerns about the bill's impact on NGOs, schools, and healthcare units, urging its withdrawal or referral to a joint parliamentary committee.
The government is considering sending 'The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026' to a joint committee of both houses of Parliament for further examination, even as the Congress and some other opposition parties have demanded that it be withdrawn, sources said on Tuesday.
Meta's global team met with top Indian IT Ministry officials following government summons regarding the temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post and ongoing concerns about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platforms.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
Eminent journalist HK Dua, who led editorial operations at three of India's leading newspapers, has died at the age of 88. He was also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and served as media advisor to two prime ministers.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has asked the finance ministry to spell out a clear legal strategy, including options such as a "golden share" or indirect control structures, to maintain strategic oversight in public sector entities if state ownership falls below 51 per cent.
BJP sources said the government would introduce a fresh Bill on the issue and has reached out to parties that opposed the earlier legislation.
Members of Parliament questioned top National Testing Agency (NTA) officials about the NEET-UG paper leak, with the NTA stating the CBI is investigating the matter. The parliamentary panel also discussed measures to prevent future leaks and reforms within the NTA.
The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision making body of the grand old party, passed a resolution to this effect. The CWC, chaired by Sonia Gandhi earlier discussed the issue along with that of the farmers' agitation and the COVID-19 vaccination drive and passed three resolutions on each of them.
The Ministry of External Affairs informed a parliamentary committee that nearly 1,000 Indians remain in Iran amidst the West Asia conflict, and 23,000 students in the Gulf region missed CBSE exams due to the turmoil.
Congress MP K C Venugopal has submitted a privilege notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging breach of privilege during a recent address to the nation.
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the obscure Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a move seen by political observers as a strategic way to support the BJP-led NDA without immediately joining the saffron party and bypassing legal complexities.
Tensions are escalating in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) following violent clashes between Pakistani security forces and protestors, resulting in civilian deaths and a communications blackout. The situation has drawn international condemnation, with over 50 British Parliament members expressing concern and a former Indian police chief criticising Pakistan's actions.
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has announced his resignation, stating he will remain in post until a successor is elected by mid-July. The decision follows questions from his parliamentary party regarding his leadership for the next general election, with Andy Burnham widely tipped as a potential successor.
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
A parliamentary panel has sought details from two key government ministries on actions planned against social media platforms and influencers who "seem to be working against national interest" following a recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The panel, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has asked the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology to provide details of any contemplated action to ban such platforms under the IT Act 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. However, a member of the panel, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, has denied receiving any communication related to the issue and claims that the chairperson cannot issue a statement without the approval of the committee.
'BJP wanted a compromised Opposition and found a match in this faction of the Trinamool.'
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai announced that the Congress will be part of the new government in Tamil Nadu led by Vijay's TVK, with discussions underway for ministerial posts and a Rajya Sabha seat.
The Indian government addressed opposition concerns regarding the West Asia crisis in an all-party meeting, outlining its strategy for ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora, fulfilling energy needs, and maintaining diplomatic relations with key partners. The government also dismissed Pakistan's reported mediation efforts.
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.
A referendum on the implementation of a reform package in Bangladesh saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout, with the 'yes' vote winning a clear majority, the Election Commission announced.
The dramatic development marked the culmination of a revolt that began with allegations of forged signatures on a letter proposing a Leader of Opposition and snowballed into an open challenge to the party leadership following the TMC's defeat at the hands of the BJP in the assembly elections.
'Ensuring through diplomatic means and in conjunction with strategic partners that India will not be required to fight a simultaneous two-front war with China and Pakistan.' Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd) lists what India must have in its national security strategy.
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.
A parliamentary panel on external affairs has expressed concern over China's growing presence and influence in the Indian Ocean Region, citing risks to India's national security and strategic interests. The panel also highlighted the strengthening China-Pakistan naval nexus as a cause for concern.
The Indian government is integrating artificial intelligence into the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) 2.0 to enhance crime tracking, criminal profiling, and predictive policing across the country.
