News for 'legislative business'

Of power, privatisation and politics

Of power, privatisation and politics

Rediff.com26 Aug 2021

As the Centre pushes reforms in the power sector, especially for the beleaguered electricity distribution segment, several states, especially those ruled by Opposition parties, are clamouring against it. Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerela have voiced their reservations against the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act, 2003. The irony is the states opposing the amendments on the ground of threat of privatisation already have private partnerships in power supply. The proposed Bill was slated to be placed on the floor of Parliament in the Monsoon session. But it still awaits Cabinet approval amid several states complaining that they have been not consulted on the issue.

Govt extremely determined to push insurance, coal sector reforms

Govt extremely determined to push insurance, coal sector reforms

Rediff.com20 Dec 2014

Jaitley keen to uplift the insurance sector.

Bihar assembly speaker, minister engage in an unusual spat

Bihar assembly speaker, minister engage in an unusual spat

Rediff.com17 Mar 2021

Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, who was a minister himself in the previous National Democratic Alliance government, was visibly shaken at the disdain shown towards the Chair by Samrat Chaudhary who holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio.

Embracing new normal, India Inc set to step up hiring in 2021

Embracing new normal, India Inc set to step up hiring in 2021

Rediff.com22 Dec 2020

Adapting to the new hybrid normal of remote and office work, cautiously optimistic corporate are looking to hire more people and provide better appraisals in the new year as they step out of the pandemic-ravaged 2020. The coronavirus pandemic emerged as the biggest inflection point for the Indian job landscape. For the corporates, work-from-home and remote workers became the new normal and for the professionals, online learning and digital skills took centrestage.

Centre vs State: Battle for Delhi is just heating up

Centre vs State: Battle for Delhi is just heating up

Rediff.com5 Apr 2021

The law, which dilutes the Indian capital's autonomy and emasculates the elected local government's powers, will be a political millstone for the party for the next elections, reports Aditi Phadnis

BJP's gameplan: 'Jiska Speaker, uski sarkar'

BJP's gameplan: 'Jiska Speaker, uski sarkar'

Rediff.com25 Nov 2019

Ahead of the floor test in Maharashtra, what is more crucial is who becomes the pro-tem speaker. And bagging this post is part of the BJP's plan to retain power, reports Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com/

Will Rahul take charge of Congress?

Will Rahul take charge of Congress?

Rediff.com26 Oct 2021

'I told Rahul: "You have to become president. Taalne se nahin hoga (you can't avoid the responsibility any longer)".' 'Rahul said: "I will think about it".'

What Cairn, Vodafone, Devas reveal about the Indian State

What Cairn, Vodafone, Devas reveal about the Indian State

Rediff.com23 Jul 2021

The Indian State's arbitrariness may have come to be accepted with resignation within the country, but when it behaves in the same manner with external players, it gets a push-back, observes T N Ninan.

Will IFSCA be the boss of India's financial markets?

Will IFSCA be the boss of India's financial markets?

Rediff.com11 Aug 2020

For financial sector companies setting up shop in India, as of now the go-to regulators are obviously Sebi and the RBI with carve-outs for IRDAI or possibly PFRDA. But this could change soon with the International Financial Services Centres Authority, observes Subhomoy Bhattacharjee.

Pralhad Joshi needs to up his game as parliamentary affairs minister

Pralhad Joshi needs to up his game as parliamentary affairs minister

Rediff.com26 Aug 2021

Among all Joshi's other portfolios -- he is also minister for coal and mines -- it is parliamentary affairs that is politically the most crucial. But to make a success of his job, he may have to hone his people skills a bit more, reports Aditi Phadnis.

Govt ready for healthy discussion in Parliament: PM

Govt ready for healthy discussion in Parliament: PM

Rediff.com18 Jul 2021

At the meeting attended by 33 parties, the prime minister said suggestions from public representatives, especially from the Opposition, are valuable as they make the discussion rich.

Uncertainty looms over MP trust vote today

Uncertainty looms over MP trust vote today

Rediff.com16 Mar 2020

Governor Lalji Tandon had on Saturday night directed Chief Minister Kamal Nath to seek a trust vote in the House immediately after he delivers his customary address on the first day of the Budget session beginning Monday. Interestingly, holding of a floor test found no mention in the List of Business (LoB) issued by the state assembly secretariat on Sunday night.

Cracks in Sangh Parivar, BKS wants farm laws tweaked

Cracks in Sangh Parivar, BKS wants farm laws tweaked

Rediff.com3 Dec 2020

'We were among the first organisations to voice our opposition to the three Acts long before anyone else and had sent memorandums collected from 3,000 tehsils across the country to the agriculture ministry to amend the Bills, but nothing was accepted,' says BKS general secretary Badri Narayan Chaudhary.

Saffron sweep puts Kamal Nath in BJP, Congr crosshairs

Saffron sweep puts Kamal Nath in BJP, Congr crosshairs

Rediff.com24 May 2019

"Nathji should take the moral responsibility for the defeat as he is chief minister and mostly importantly the state party chief as well," a Congress leader said.

'This is a process of reconstructing almost from scratch, building a relationship with that important nation in the world, India'

'This is a process of reconstructing almost from scratch, building a relationship with that important nation in the world, India'

Rediff.com3 Dec 2020

'I would urge my Indian friends to look at how significant the overall support was.'

US Congress passes Trump's landmark tax reform bill

US Congress passes Trump's landmark tax reform bill

Rediff.com21 Dec 2017

The momentous occasion came when the House of Representatives passed the $1.5 trillion (Rs 96 lakh crore) tax reform bill for the second time by 224 to 201 votes to clear the technical snag in the passage of the bill, which was passed by the Senate and House earlier.

Has the 15th Lok Sabha been the WORST performing ever?

Has the 15th Lok Sabha been the WORST performing ever?

Rediff.com4 Feb 2014

From 1952 to 1967, each of the three Lok Sabhas sat for an average of 600 days and more than 3,700 hours. In comparison, the 15th Lok Sabha -- from 2009 till 2013 -- has met for just 345 days and 1,331 hours, says Shreya Singh

Hopeful of GST passage, government lists bill in Rajya Sabha agenda

Hopeful of GST passage, government lists bill in Rajya Sabha agenda

Rediff.com29 Jul 2016

The government is keen to get the GST Bill approved during the Monsoon Session of Parliament ending on August 12.

Nitish ends practice of gifts to MLAs after row

Nitish ends practice of gifts to MLAs after row

Rediff.com21 Mar 2016

The chief minister's decision came on a day when two top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders returned the gifts given to them by the Education Department amid indications that others may follow suit.

Protests against Agnipath scheme turn violent; trains, vehicles torched

Protests against Agnipath scheme turn violent; trains, vehicles torched

Rediff.com16 Jun 2022

Trains were set afire and blocked, and public vehicles attacked as protests over 'Agnipath' swept across several places in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu on Thursday amid partisan political voices in favour and against the new recruitment scheme for the defence forces that has set off a firestorm.

Twitter invokes freedom of expression, weighs legal options

Twitter invokes freedom of expression, weighs legal options

Rediff.com11 Feb 2021

The networking giant said it has taken steps to reduce the visibility of hashtags containing harmful content, which included prohibiting them from trending and appearing as recommended search terms.

US VP Pence refuses to invoke law to remove Trump from office

US VP Pence refuses to invoke law to remove Trump from office

Rediff.com13 Jan 2021

Pelosi and House Democrats had pressed Pence and the Cabinet to remove Trump from office in the aftermath of the January 6 breach of the US Capitol by thousands of the president's loyalists.

Was Bhagat Singh also a parjivi, Tikait asks PM Modi

Was Bhagat Singh also a parjivi, Tikait asks PM Modi

Rediff.com9 Feb 2021

Without naming the Prime Minister or using his 'andolanjivi' phrase, Tikait said, "In Parliament, they are saying these are parjivis (parasites). Was Bhagat Singh who sacrificed his life for this nation a parjivi? What about 150 farmers who died during this agitation? Were they parjivis too? Had they gone to Delhi to agitate and die?"

The damage Pompeo is causing to US interests

The damage Pompeo is causing to US interests

Rediff.com12 Jan 2021

BWith a distracted president brooding in the White House, Pompeo seems to think his day has come. He seems to be pushing a personal agenda before a target audience in America, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Why India may have to withdraw 2% equalisation levy on firms by 2023

Why India may have to withdraw 2% equalisation levy on firms by 2023

Rediff.com13 Jul 2021

India conceding ground to bring only top 100 digital companies like Google, Facebook, and Netflix into the global taxation pact may have revenue implications. This will mean that New Delhi will have to withdraw the contentious 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce operators by 2023. This may have revenue implications for India, experts pointed out, as the equalisation levy has a much lower annual revenue threshold of Rs 2 crore (euro 0.2 million) as against euro 20 billion agreed by 130 countries at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). India, along with other developing countries, was pitching for at least euro 1 billion threshold to cover at least 5,000 global entities. India collected Rs 2,057 crore from the equalisation levy in 2020-21, an 85 per cent growth over Rs 1,136 crore in the previous fiscal.

Demonetisation: Can the Supreme Court intervene?

Demonetisation: Can the Supreme Court intervene?

Rediff.com25 Jan 2017

It has always been accepted in various apex court rulings that economic policy is not justiciable. It can intervene only if the legislation is seen to violate fundamental rights says Sukumar Mukhopadhyay.

No country says everybody is welcome: Jaishankar on CAA

No country says everybody is welcome: Jaishankar on CAA

Rediff.com7 Mar 2020

Jaishankar criticised the UNHRC for its criticism on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,

What Budget has in store for regional rural banks

What Budget has in store for regional rural banks

Rediff.com27 Jan 2021

RRBs were formed under an Act to provide credit to small farmers, agricultural labourers and businesses in rural areas.

Blow to India as US, UK courts confirm $1.4 bn award to Cairn

Blow to India as US, UK courts confirm $1.4 bn award to Cairn

Rediff.com8 Mar 2021

Courts in five countries including the US and the UK have given recognition to an arbitration award that asked India to return $1.4 billion to Cairn Energy plc - a step that now opens the possibility of the British firm seizing Indian assets in those countries if New Delhi does not pay, sources said. Cairn Energy had moved courts in nine countries to enforce its $1.4 billion arbitral award against India, which the company won after a dispute with the country's revenue authority over a retroactively applied capital gains tax. Of these, the December 21 award from a three-member tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands has been recognised and confirmed by courts in the US, the UK, Netherlands, Canada and France, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Rs 5,000-crore stressed asset fund for MSMEs mooted

Rs 5,000-crore stressed asset fund for MSMEs mooted

Rediff.com26 Jun 2019

The RBI panel has also recommended a government-sponsored 'fund of funds' of Rs 10,000 crore to support the venture capital and private equity firms investing in the MSME sector.

Rahul slams Modi, says Chinese occupying Indian territory

Rahul slams Modi, says Chinese occupying Indian territory

Rediff.com24 Jan 2021

Continuing to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his second day of campaign in Tamil Nadu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged Chinese troops have occupied Indian territory and the man with '56 inch-chest' cannot even utter the name of the neighbouring country.

Don't cross 'lakshman rekha': PM's stern warning to BJP lawmakers

Don't cross 'lakshman rekha': PM's stern warning to BJP lawmakers

Rediff.com16 Dec 2014

In a stern warning to Bharatiya Janata Party members of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked them not to cross the 'lakshman rekha' with controversial remarks as it hurts the government and the party.

When Will Modi Privatise Public Sector Banks?

When Will Modi Privatise Public Sector Banks?

Rediff.com20 Oct 2021

Unlike any other national asset, which is typically sold to the highest bidder, the profile of the bidder is the most important criterion for a licence to bank, and even for acquiring more than 5 per cent stake, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

Sena MLA under ED scanner writes to Uddhav to reconcile with BJP

Sena MLA under ED scanner writes to Uddhav to reconcile with BJP

Rediff.com20 Jun 2021

In the letter dated June 10, Pratap Sarnaik said even though the alliance with the BJP has broken, personal and harmonious relations between leaders of the 'yuti' (Shiv Sena-BJP) remain.

Govt says ready to answer all questions asked in Parl; Oppn cries foul

Govt says ready to answer all questions asked in Parl; Oppn cries foul

Rediff.com3 Sep 2020

Countering the Opposition charge of curtailing the Question Hour, the sources in the government said this is not the first time that the Question Hour will not be taken up during a session as it was dispensed with in 2004 and 2009, besides also in 1991 as well as in 1962, 1975 and 1976 for various reasons.

Deciphering Bhagwat's Muslim Remarks

Deciphering Bhagwat's Muslim Remarks

Rediff.com17 Jul 2021

The fact that the responses from the community to Mohan Bhagwat's remarks have ranged from guarded optimism to outright disbelief tells its own story, points out Kanika Dutta.

2020: The year when Indian courts went virtual

2020: The year when Indian courts went virtual

Rediff.com1 Jan 2021

As the coronavirus pandemic made courts adopt the new normal and go virtual in 2020, the Union law ministry pitched in by providing the required infrastructure to ensure online hearings are held smoothly.

300 Twitter handles formed in Pak to disrupt tractor rally: Police

300 Twitter handles formed in Pak to disrupt tractor rally: Police

Rediff.com24 Jan 2021

Delhi Police on Sunday claimed that over 300 Twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan to disrupt the tractor rally proposed by protesting farmers on Republic Day.

Modi must shut 20 ministries, 100 departments!

Modi must shut 20 ministries, 100 departments!

Rediff.com20 Jul 2020

'When the country is jobless, why should I pay through my nose to feed these people who want some perks in office?' 'Let them also join India's unemployed.' 'Let them also taste the bitter medicine of being jobless.'

Kumaraswamy govt to face trust vote on Thursday

Kumaraswamy govt to face trust vote on Thursday

Rediff.com15 Jul 2019

As the political turmoil lingered on with the ruling coalition making frenetic efforts to win back rebels who have pushed it to the brink of collapse, assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Monday announced the confidence motion sought to be moved by Kumaraswamy would be taken up at 11 am on July 18.