The election to the post is mostly decided by consensus, but opposition leaders complain that the Narendra Modi government was yet to reach out to them, reports Archis Mohan.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley has written to activist Anna Hazare, who is currently on an indefinite fast to demand the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill.
The GST will replace more than a dozen levies central and state levies, including central excise duty, service tax and central sales tax as well as VAT on sale of goods and entry tax, to make movement of goods seamless across 1.3 billion market.
The BJP is still short of the halfway mark of 123 in the 245-member House, but can now muster a 'working' majority with help of allies, friendly parties, some Independents and nominated members.
The Opposition members on Monday strongly raised the issue of religious conversions, and a controversial statement made by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Yogi Adityanath on the Ayodhya issue and a report that government schools have been asked to observe Good Governance Day on Christmas Day, in the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress and the Left parties might move court to challenge LS speaker's ruling on Aadhaar as money Bill.
The bill to amend the 49-year-old law to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by people who migrated to Pakistan and China was passed amid a walkout by the entire Opposition.
Opposition on Thursday forced deferment of consideration of the contentious Mines and Minerals Bill in Rajya Sabha till on Friday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday termed the communal violence bill as "the most obnoxious piece of legislation in independent India", saying had it been in place earlier, it would have resulted in punishment of the members of only the majority community over the Muzaffarnagar riots.
The Lok Sabha will start a discussion on the Budget on Wednesday.
Jaitley will be cremated on Sunday afternoon at the Nigambodh Ghat, BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal said.
Mayawati was outmanoeuvred by the BJP in the race for the Rajya Sabha in Uttar Pradesh just days after she helped the Samajwadi Party snatch two Lok Sbaha seats from the saffron party in bypolls.
AAP has displayed scant regard for the Rule of Law. Its conduct is a challenge to constitutionalism, says BJP leader Arun Jaitley
'The chair is a referee in a match, whether this side is playing better or that side is playing worse is no concern of the chair.'
The only business that the House could transact was laying of official papers on the table of the House.
Select committees of the House have already submitted their reports
The Bharatiya Janata Party supported the Telangana bill in Rajya Sabha onThursday but sought amendments to ensure the Seemandhra region got justice and a "defective" legislation was not passed.
Agitated by repeated disruptions, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari on Tuesday wondered whether members wish the House to become a 'federation of anarchists', a remark which drew sharp reaction with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding its withdrawal and the government asking for expunging it.
The much anticipated Telangana Bill was not taken up in the Rajya Sabha, which witnessed high drama and repeated adjournments throughout Wednesday.
BJP-led govt will need regional parties' support in Upper House to get legislation cleared. Archis Mohan reports
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley feels the JD-U and SP, the prime movers behind the idea of Third Front, are 'potential losers' in their areas of influence, and are no match to Narendra Modi-led NDA.
While almost all the members belonging to the ruling National Democratic Alliance took oath by swearing in the name of god, Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, who was re-elected to the Upper House from Maharashtra, took oath affirming his allegiance to the Constitution of India.
'George was a politician with a difference. He had the ability to stand alone, take a position, however extreme, and sustain that position,' remembers Arun Jaitley.
Terming the insistence on a debate on Foreign Direct Investment in retail without voting as "unreasonable", Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the government was not interested in allowing the Parliament to function.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice during Question Hour on Monday as the Congress created uproar saying there were inconsistencies in government statements on the World Trade Organisation though Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asserted there was no contradiction.
As the elections appear closer, the nervousness in the Congress party has become more visible. Each one is frantically concerned about his own position rather than wanting the Congress party to get ready for a spirited fight.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday sought "clarification" from Defence Minister A K Antony as to why the "Family" mentioned in middleman Guido Haschke's statement before an Italian court in the VVIP chopper deal case is being given "another meaning".
'This man has aged, but does not know the difference between words spoken on the streets from those of spoken in Parliament.' 'He does not allow his hair to turn gray, so he hasn't learned or matured.' Rashme Sehgal reports on how Subramanian Swamy has riled the Congress yet again.
Targeting Congress for practicing dynastic politics, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley said that a debate should be initiated on whether only a leader born in a particular family should lead the country.
Congress members alleged breach of propriety and constitutional norms in the consultations Goa Governor Mridula Sinha held with Jaitley.
Amid noisy scenes, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 for discussion and passage, but pandemonium broke out in the Upper House with the opposition creating an uproar and the BJP countering it vociferously.
Congress forced four adjournments of the proceedings in the RS over what it called as 'biggest scam of this century'.
While speaking to Sheela Bhatt about Narendra Modi and the Congress's media strategy, Jaitley deliberately and subtly downplays Modi's projection as a prime ministerial candidate and the BJP leaders' endorsements of Modi for the top job as if it is a routine affair
Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley on Friday said the United Progressive Alliance government was trapped in its own web of "chakra-vyuha" with the ill-timed decision to allow foreign players in multi-brand retail. He said that the UPA had landed itself in a no-win situation, with no escape route.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, who is seeking a third term to the Upper House, on Monday filed his nomination papers from Gujarat along with two other candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Jaitley filed his nomination along with former Member of Legislative Assembly Mansukh Mandaviya and party functionary Shankar Vegad for the March 30 biennial elections.
In a rare legislative action, a private member's Bill seeking to protect the rights of transgenders was passed unanimously by voice vote in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley on Saturday said deferment in sealing the Teesta water-sharing pact with Bangladesh showed the UPA government's foreign policy is influenced by "internal contradictions".
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley has said though the 'sense of the House' passed by Parliament on the three demands of Team Anna is not binding on the Standing Committee, it is unlikely to reject it.
After Gujrat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the Sriram College of Commerce made headlines across the country, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley wants Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to address the students of the same college.
Expressing disappointment with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party's decision to abstain from voting on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail in the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, on Thursday said that the Congress-led UPA is a lame-duck government dependent on costly support.
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