Barely days after losing control of its legislature party in the West Bengal assembly, the Trinamool Congress is now staring at an even bigger political nightmare -- the possibility of the rebellion spreading to its parliamentary ranks.
Supreme Court Justice V Mohana recused herself from a 2016 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions for the speedy disposal of criminal cases against lawmakers. This development follows a report by amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria, which revealed over 4,000 pending criminal cases against Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), including chief ministers from 14 states. The Supreme Court has previously issued directives to high courts to establish special benches to monitor and fast-track these trials.
The issue of Finance Minister P Chidambaram's lawyer wife Nalini appearing on behalf of income tax department in a court in Chennai rocked the Rajya Sabha on Monday as a determined Opposition stalled the proceedings leading to two adjournments of the
Janata Dal-United MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh offered juice to Harivansh to help him break the fast.
After 47 years in electoral politics, Union minister Sharad Pawar on Monday became a member of the Rajya Sabha for the first time.
The BJP-led NDA now has nearly 100 members in the 245-member House. If the support of friendly parties like the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (9), Biju Janata Dal (9), Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (6), and several allied nominated members and smaller parties is counted, then the Modi government is unlikely to face any serious numerical challenge there.
On Monday, a Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ranchi framed charges against Lalu, accused in five of the 39 cases related to the scam.
Former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday appeared all set to become Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha after his appointment as Leader of Congress in the Upper House.
The finance minister could not take the oath earlier in Parliament due to his ill-health.
As polling begins on Friday for the remaining 25 Rajya Sabha seats in six states, here's a list of some of the bigwigs who are seeking to be elected to the Upper House of Parliament.
Harivansh is likely to be elected as the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman for a third term as the opposition has decided to boycott the election in protest.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice during Question Hour over separate issues, including the Liberhan Report and the alleged multi-crore scam involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.
'Those under pressure from the BJP and the police, or due to court cases, the ED, CBI, CID, local police officers, or the STF, I request that you make your decision before July 21.'
Karnataka home minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party leader B L Santhosh's claim that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers had protected his (Kharge's) family from Razakars during Hyderabad state's integration with India, saying that his family and people of the region were protected by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Army.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is set to meet with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to discuss the state cabinet reshuffle following Siddaramaiah's resignation. Key topics include Rajya Sabha and MLC candidates, as well as potential appointments of multiple Deputy CMs to maintain social and regional balance.
Most defections originated from three major parties -- the Congress, BJP and BSP.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health is deteriorating on the 18th day of his hunger strike, with his weight dropping significantly and vital signs requiring continuous monitoring. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has accused the government of 'cruelty' for its refusal to engage in dialogue regarding alleged NEET irregularities, intensifying calls for accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The House, which was briefly adjourned in the morning, will now meet at 11 am on March 13 after recess.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
Ambedkar Rajan's nomination comes as no surprise to the BSP cadre as it is well known that Mayawati depends on him and seeks his word regarding every major issue.
Outgoing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samajwadi Party president Mayawati on Tuesday filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha.
Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has secured its first seat in the Bihar Assembly, with Kishor winning the Bankipur bypoll in his electoral debut, stunning the BJP in its long-held bastion.
Essel Group founder Subhash Chandra has called for an independent audit to examine the group's borrowings, defaults, and repayments, stating that approximately 43,000 crore of its 45,000 crore total debt has been repaid.
The government has confirmed that Boeing's detailed examination of the Dreamliner aircraft's fuel control switch locking mechanism found no abnormality, following an Air India pilot's report of a possible issue. This investigation was prompted after an Air India flight from London to Bengaluru in February, and comes amidst an ongoing probe into a fatal Dreamliner crash last year where fuel supply to engines was cut off.
Cricketer-turned-politician Harbhajan Singh revealed in a podcast interview that his decision to switch from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stemmed from the AAP government's alleged neglect of his concerns regarding drug abuse and sports promotion in Punjab.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar has been admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai for a health check-up.
Amid cross-voting, National Democratic Alliance-supported Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani on Thursday won one of the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand, defeating the Congress's Pranav Jha, an official said.
The Congress, which is in minority in Rajya Sabha, is expecting a major crisis during the next Parliament session as it proposes to get government bills passed.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Saturday re-nominated sitting MP M Kanimozhi, daughter of party president M Karunanidhi as its candidate for the June 27 Rajya Sabha elections for six seats, hoping to drum up support from other parties to ensure a second term for her.
According to sources, TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has zeroed in on the name of his brother-in-law and actor Harikrishna for a Rajya Sabha seat that the party can win on the basis of its strength in the present legislative assembly, which constitutes the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha elections. He is expected to file his nomination papers on March 14.
Rejecting these notices, the Chairman said, "I have not admitted (the notices) as there are other avenues to raise this matter in the House and some matters are local."
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to chair a crucial Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, April 14.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested a meeting with the Governor, intensifying speculation about a potential change in leadership, with rumours suggesting he may resign to allow his deputy, D K Shivakumar, to take over.
The Lok Sabha's monsoon session concluded on Thursday, marked by relentless opposition protests over critical issues like the NEET paper leak and police action on students, yet saw the passage of several key bills without extensive debate. Home Minister Amit Shah expressed readiness to debate the student protest issue, urging the speaker to allocate time.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "dimagi naxal" remark by stating he is "proud to be a dimagi naxal". Modi had warned against "dimagi naxals" who manipulate policies and promote violence, despite the success in curbing armed Naxalism. Chidambaram's comment came after Modi's Independence Day speech where he highlighted the threat posed by ideological supporters of Naxalism.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's comments recalling the role of non-Bengali communities during the 1946 communal riots and alleging past restrictions on Durga Puja have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the TMC, Congress, and CPI(M). Bhattacharya appealed for unity for peaceful Durga Puja celebrations, while opposition leaders accused him of divisive politics and distorting history.
In the Upper House of Parliament, where the Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up on Wednesday, the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the UPA.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking to allow secret ballot in polls for the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils, observing that the open ballot system is needed to "prevent cross voting and maintain party discipline".
