Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticized former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's remarks about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill being "bulldozed through" the Lower House. Birla said a senior member casting aspersions on the House proceedings was "most unfortunate" and against the dignity of parliamentary democracy. He pointed out that the bill was debated for 13 hours and 53 minutes with several members participating and was passed after multiple divisions.
Kharge condemned the use of the "abodh balak" term for Gandhi and alleged that BJP MPs can't even speak their mind.
Looking at her and talking to her, you could be forgiven for wondering how she will handle such a tough job as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Cutting across party lines, Members of Parliament said the former India captain was given unfair treatment.
The Speaker is the final authority to take a call on cases of defection. Although this may not be an immediate concern now, but its occurrence in the future cannot be ruled out considering the volatile nature of politics, points out Rup Narayan Das.
"This is a big scam. The country is being looted. Please allow us to speak," Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.
The first leg of the Budget session concluded with debates over the India-US trade deal and a former army chief's memoir, and will reassemble on March 9.
The row over the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and seven-term member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker is likely to cast a shadow over the session.
As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon. Similar scenes were witnessed in the House on Thursday leading to its adjournment for the day.
Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma has resigned, effectively halting impeachment proceedings initiated against him by the Lok Sabha following corruption allegations.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday read out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency and termed the decision by then prime minister Indira Gandhi an attack on the Constitution, triggering a wave of protests by the opposition in the House.
'Expunging remarks is within the powers of the Speaker.' 'Nobody can question or challenge the Speaker's decision.'
The internecine war within the Trinamool Congress took a new turn on Thursday with "party treasurer" Aroop Biswas writing to a bank seeking restrictions on the operation of the party's accounts, citing uncertainty over its legitimate leadership amid rebellions by MLAs and MPs.
Posting a copy of her letter to the speaker on 'X', Moitra said, 'Have not received any replies from my previous letter to Hon'ble Lok Sabha Speaker but am placing this on record anyway.'
Notices have been given by various members for discussion in the Lok Sabha on various versions of Lokpal Bill, but it is not clear when the debate will be taken up.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Thursday following a uproar over the National Democratic Alliance's demand for the resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram for his alleged role in the 2G scam, and some other issues. As soon as Speaker Meira Kumar called for the Question Hour, NDA members were on their feet demanding the resignation of Chidambaram. They cited a Delhi court order allowing Subramanian Swamy's re-examination as witness in his complaint against the home minister.
The issue of separate Telangana generated heat in the Lok Sabha, which witnessed two brief adjournments on Tuesday as Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Telugu Desam Party and some Congress members vociferously raised the issue.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a severe leadership crisis as former minister Jyoti Priya Mallick resigned from all party organisational posts citing health, and senior North Bengal leader Goutam Deb stepped down as mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, amidst widespread internal rifts and electoral setbacks.
When the House met on Wednesday morning, Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that he would give them an opportunity to raise the issues during the Zero Hour.
The Lok Sabha witnessed unruly scenes during Question Hour today as Congress and Telugu Desam Party members raised the Telangana issue and DMK members of Parliament protested holding of Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka.
Opposition MPs have submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging partisan conduct and obstruction of electoral fraud investigations.
'The prime minister didn't come to Parliament.' 'But the BJP MP is charging that you wanted to assault the prime minister.' 'Only a person who has the intellect and ideology of the BJP can come up with such bizarre charges.'
The four-day logjam in Lok Sabha over foreign direct investment in retail ended Thursday with Speaker Meira Kumar allowing a discussion on the subject under a rule that entails voting.
Stepping up the heat on Justice Yashwant Varma, parliamentarians on Monday submitted notices to the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the removal of the Allahabad high court judge from whose residence in New Delhi burnt wads of currency notes were found.
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, IT expert Nandan Nilekani and cricketer Mohd Kaif are among 194 candidates as Congress tonight released the first list of its nominees for Lok Sabha polls that contains several new and young faces.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sumitra Mahajan will be appointed Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha on Friday. Other key parliamentary posts like that of Leader of Opposition, deputy Speaker, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and head of the all-important standing committee on finance will be keenly contested.
Chatterjee, who had hit upon the novel method to observe the day, was euphoric over the spontaneous response from members.
Announcing this, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee thanked the members for their cooperation in passing the Finance Bill 2008, but regretted that 28 hours and 30 minutes were lost due to interruptions and forced adjournments. However, he also noted that the House sat for an extra 36 hours and 38 minutes to compensate for the loss.
RJD members reacted angrily to allegations against their leader, Lalu Prasad.
His political career began with his involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and he later became a member of the Shiv Sena.
On the occasion of International Women's Day, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee suspended the Question Hour for some time to make a statement on the issue and allowed lady members to share their views.
Vadra, in his Facebook post on July 21, had taken a dig at the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.
As soon as the Zero Hour commenced at noon, AIADMK and TDP members trooped in the Well, raising slogans and carrying banners demanding stalling of a dam on river Cauvery and special state status to Andhra Pradesh respectively.
The Lok Sabha will have a sitting on Saturday, despite being a Saturday, notwithstanding strong demands by several members of Parliament, leaders and ministers against it
The government rejected the Opposition's demand for a discussion on electoral roll revision in Bihar, citing that the matter is sub judice and pending before the judiciary.
The opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is unlikely to contest the Lok Sabha Speaker's post and the National Democratic Alliance nominee is likely to be elected unopposed, sources said Tuesday ahead of filing of nomination for the key post.
The Lok Sabha witnessed chaotic scenes as opposition members protested the introduction of three draft laws, leading to torn bills, sloganeering, and adjournments.
Principal opposition Congress too staged a walk out saying its members should have been the first ones to speak but were being denied a chance.
Amid demands from the Opposition for a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of Parliament security breach, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Thursday asserted that as custodian of the Parliament complex, it was his responsibility to ensure security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha on Monday, which is expected to bring to light several important and previously unknown facets about the national song.
