After failed moves over 43 years, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a historic bill to create a nine-member anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal after a marathon debate but the government suffered a major embarrassment when the legislation to give it a constitutional status was defeated for want of the requisite two-thirds majority
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday referred the complaints of four MPs, who accused Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha of proposing their name in a House panel without their consent in violation of rules, to the privileges committee to examine and investigate the matter.
India had better be prepared. Munir could be back at our throats soon, even within the next 12 months, warns Shekhar Gupta.
"We will examine the matter. Issue notice," the bench said, making it clear that there would be no stay on the decision.
In more than one way, it's a setback for the DMK and Chief Minister Stalin in political terms. The electoral fall-out, if any, will have to wait until the next summer, only when assembly elections are due in the state, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R F Nariman framed five questions to be adjudicated on by the Constitution bench.
What India needs more than one simultaneous election is better governance both at the central and state level. Yes, we need reforms, but our priority should be to make elections less expensive, make it more democratic, do away with freebies which are actually bribes before elections, allow only those who are educated to contest, and bring in a bill to make it impossible for criminals to contest, advocates Ramesh Menon.
Parliamentary proceedings were disrupted for the third consecutive day in the Winter Session as opposition parties continued their protests over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned within minutes of convening, despite appeals from the Chair to engage in productive dialogue and refrain from disruption. The opposition members raised slogans demanding action against the perpetrators of violence in Sambhal, and sought discussions on allegations of irregularities against the Adani Group and the violence in Manipur.
The United Progressive Alliance government has made up its mind to move a resolution on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha to get nine Members of Parliament of the Samajwadi Party suspended for their misbehaviour and disruptions during the debate on the job quota bill for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
"The government should have a roadmap and strategy for passing such an important bill. We are not in favour of passing such a vital bill without a discussion. It (a discussion) is a requirement for a Constitutional Amendment as the basic structure of the Constitution will change," Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia said.
Opposition members hit out at the government for the introduction of the bill in a 'hurry' and 'without any consultation with stakeholders'.
The government said it was willing to advance the upcoming Parliament session.
'If Rakesh Sinha introduces the bill, but it does not pass the Rajya Sabha in six years, then the bill will lapse.'
A bill to modify the list of scheduled castes in Tamil Nadu by grouping of seven castes which presently exist as separate castes, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Congress preparing a dissent note on the issue
Shah said the BJP-led government had only brought an amendment to the law which was enacted by thr Congress and whose provisions were later made stringent.
The Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers got its new chairman on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir's Abdul Rahim Rather.
Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.
While the BJP and the Congress have always supported the bill, opposition by other parties and demands from some for quota for backward classes within the women's quota have been key sticking points.
Some of them also flagged a lack of consultation before finalising the reports.
'The low tax to GDP ratio of the country will go up, helping the government to adhere to fiscal discipline and keep inflation in check.'
The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan escaping religious persecution there.
Gandhi also assured support of her party to the legislation, which she said would be a "significant" step forward in the empowerment of women.
To govern effectively, to legislate successfully, Modi must reach out to the Opposition. As long as he does not and he is showing no signs that he accepts the reality, the drift his fans are anguishing over will remain, cautions Aakar Patel.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three bills to replace the colonial-era criminal laws by voice vote.
Bihar became the first non-NDA state and overall second after the BJP-ruled Assam to pass GST bill.
Under the provision of the Constitution, bills passed by the Lok Sabha during the course of its five year term and pending in the Rajya Sabha get lapsed with the dissolution of the House of the People. Separately, any bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha remained a property of the House irrespective of the fate of Lok Sabha.
The bill rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.
The amendments will also allow the NIA to probe cyber crimes and cases of human trafficking.
'This bill is to relieve the government of accountability and to cover up its corruption.'
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the amendments in the bill have been made after studying global practices and wide consultation within the country.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the government has taken care of the interests of everyone and 'the interest of India'.
The long-pending demand of high court judges of one rank one pension is set to be met as government plans to bring a bill to rectify an anomaly as per which judges selected from the Bar get lesser pension than those elevated from state judicial services.
Senior leader of Bhartiya Janata Party Sushma Swaraj said that her party was in favour of adopting the second resolution on women's reservation bill, which neither requires any constitutional amendment and also does not warrant reservation for women of any particular constituency.
Anticipating US action on tariffs, India seems to have made the first move by revamping its tariff structure by reducing the slabs to eight rates, points out Mukesh Butani.
'This is not about revering women; this is about women entering politics.' 'This is about women having a say in how State policies have to be shaped.'
This whirlwind of activity only confirms that rushing around creating an impression of pompous busy-ness is not the same thing as solving problems, argues Mitali Saran.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked whether Parliament could have enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which divided the erstwhile state into two Union territories, during the subsistence of President's rule in 2018-2019.
in New Delhi Rashtriya Janata Dal member of parliament Rajniti Prasad said that he "alone, is responsible for tearing the Lokpal bill in the Rajya Sabha" on December 29 while the house was debating on the merits of constitutional amendment.
