Constitutional experts were on Friday divided on who should be blamed for the fiasco over the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, holding both the government and the Opposition responsible for leaving the historic legislation in limbo.Describing the high drama in the Upper House as unprecedented in the history of Parliament, former chief justice of India V N Khare said that the interest of the nation is taking a backseat.
Two Rajya Sabha MPs from Gujarat -- BJP president Amit Shah, now Home Minister, and Smriti Irani, who has got the women and child development ministry -- have won the Lok Sabha polls, thus creating two vacancies in the Upper House of Parliament from the state.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the bill in the Upper House of Parliament. He said the proposed legislation is aimed at providing effective and corruption-free governance in the national capital.
The bills that repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act will usher in a new era in the criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said
The government assured the Opposition that reservation to Anglo-Indians will be considered later.
Although the BJP has never been ballistic about the BJD and Narendra Modi has avoided being critical of Naveen Patnaik, the BJP is optimistic that the party can improve its electoral fortunes in Odisha on its own, notes Rup Narayan Das.
Pakistan has reserved four seats for minorities in its Senate whose strength will climb to 104 from 100 under the landmark Constitutional reforms package, a move lauded as "people-friendly" by the community which so far had no representation in the upper house of Parliament.
Bharthi S Pradhan, editor of Film Street Journal, and a long time Rekha-watcher sheds, light on the enigmatic actress and how she will handle her new role, in this revealing interview.
With disruptions continuing, the productivity of Rajya Sabha fell to 13.70 per cent during the second week of the ongoing monsoon session from 32.20 per cent during the first week, resulting in an overall productivity of 21.60 per cent for the first two weeks.
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.
Modi said that the Rajya Sabha gives an opportunity to those away from electoral politics to contribute to the country and its development.
Pakistan on Friday made fresh allegations about India's involvement in terrorist activities in the country, with Interior Minister Rehman Malik telling parliament that Indian intelligence agencies were running training camps in Afghanistan to foment unrest in Balochistan.
Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes on Sunday as Opposition members stormed the well and reached the deputy chairman's seat to protest against the farm bills debated and passed by the Upper House through voice vote.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has blamed Afghan refugees living in Pakistan for the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani and said they are responsible for various other problems.
Sources said the Congress may consider opposing the bill when it is introduced in Parliament. The Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in Delhi, has been seeking the support of various political parties on the matter.
The 52-year-old leader lost from Sirathu by nearly 7,000 votes, leading to speculations of his omission from the new Adityanath-led government.
Congress member Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who had got into a CD controversy last month, is unwell and will not be attending Rajya Sabha during in the second half of the budget session of Parliament.
Kakar, a lawmaker belonging to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), will lead a caretaker government until a new election later this year.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday assured Pakistan of "every support and assistance" to boost bilateral cooperation in key areas of business, trade, energy and infrastructure to cement their "all-weather" ties.
The PM said many members of the House of Elders would have thought of raising major issues vital to the country before retiring, but were debarred from the opportunity to leave behind their great ideals and legacy.
"We are not averse to more amendments to the Land Bill provided they are good," he said.
The Congress and the Left parties might move court to challenge LS speaker's ruling on Aadhaar as money Bill.
Expressing solidarity with the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he has decided to suspend hosting of a talk show on Sansad TV until the suspension of the legislators is revoked and a "semblance of bipartisanship restored to the conduct of Parliament".
Pakistan Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani has accused an unnamed lawmaker of being in touch with 'memogate' scandal blower Mansoor Ijaz, hinting that there was a conspiracy against President Asif Ali Zardari
An Egyptian court on Monday overturned President Muhammed Mursi's decree that had called for parliamentary elections from April 22, questioning its constitutionality, a ruling that may deepen the political crisis in the polarised country.
'In Parliament, he was the one person who stood for democracy and secularism even when the principal Opposition party was not very forthright in taking on the BJP and RSS.'
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met with some opposition leaders and ministers and urged both sides to further discuss their views on the suspension of 12 members of the House in the wake of the Opposition's demand for its revocation.
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party on Wednesday termed the list of candidates released by its alliance partner Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh legislative council elections as "disappointing".
The Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that the Bharatiya Janata Party will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections.
The Union Public Service Commission exam row generated heat in both Houses of Parliament with a member tearing a paper and throwing it towards the Speaker in Lok Sabha and almost the entire opposition staging a walkout in the Upper House as the government refused to set a timeline for resolving the issue.
The extended Winter session of Parliament got off a stormy start on Wednesday with uproar over the Telangana and caste-reservation issue stalling proceedings.
Unfazed by the stalemate over the Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti issue, government has lined up a heavy legislative agenda in Parliament this week including a bill seeking to replace coal blocks allocation ordinance.
Amid a massive ruckus after the suspension order, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned.
Opposition politicians on Wednesday stalled a last minute attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to pass the Goods and Service Tax bill.
Shiv Sena's Kolhapur district president Sanjay Pawar will be its second candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, party chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday, in what is a clear snub to Chhatrapati Sambhaji who was seeking support for his candidature.
The country on Friday elected 543 Members of Parliament to the 16th Lok Sabha. Here is a brief profile of the MPs gender, age, education and professional profiles.
Singh, a veteran Congress leader, was a member of the Upper House of Parliament from Assam for almost three decades.
Ahead of the budget session, PM Narendra Modi appealed to the opposition to allow Parliament to function. While his call was taken positively by most of the parties, the Congress signalled that disruption will be their main weapon to raise several issues.
The no-confidence motion against the government could not be introduced amid the din in the Lok Sabha.
The Trinamool Congress MP said he is unable to bear various incidents that are happening in West Bengal.
