Parliament

Vikram Misri briefs Parliament on Pahalgam attack & ceasefire claim | Op Sindoor | India-Pakistan

How a Maori haka protest brought New Zealand's Parliament to a halt

A haka performed by Maori MPs in protest of a proposed bill led to suspended Parliament proceedings in New Zealand and disciplinary action against the lawmakers

India, Pak conflict was always in conventional domain: Misri to Parl panel

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a parliamentary committee on Monday that the conflict between India and Pakistan was always in the conventional domain, and there was no nuclear signalling by the neighbouring country, sources said. The sources said Misri reiterated the government's stand that the decision to stop military actions was taken at a bilateral level, as some opposition members questioned US President Donald Trump's repeated assertions about his administration's role in stopping the conflict. Some MPs, the sources said, asked if Pakistan used Chinese platforms in the conflict. Misri said it did not matter as India hammered Pakistani air bases. The meeting of Parliament's Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was attended by a number of lawmakers, including the TMC's Abhishek Banerjee, the Congress' Rajeev Shukla and Deepender Hooda, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and the BJP's Aparajita Sarangi and Arun Govil. The meeting comes

Parliament session will signal unity against terrorism: Sachin Pilot

Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday reiterated the opposition party's demand for convening a special session of Parliament, which he said would send a message of unity in India's fight against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism to the world. He also demanded the government's "clarification" on facts regarding the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the "ceasefire" announcement. Pilot was speaking to reporters after visiting the family of Dinesh Mirania, a Raipur-based businessman who was killed by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22. Addressing the media, he said that though a "ceasefire" has been announced, the government should clarify whether it was assured that Pakistan will not carry out any misadventure in future. "We want the forces responsible for such incidents (Pahalgam attack) to be destroyed forever. A ceasefire has been declared for now, but there should have been credible assurances (to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future)," Pilot said.

Seventeen MPs including Supriya Sule to receive Sansad Ratna Awards 2025

Seventeen Members of Parliament, including Bhartruhari Mahtab and Ravi Kishan, and two Parliamentary Standing Committees, have been selected for the Sansad Ratna Award 2025. The awards, instituted by the Prime Point Foundation, are given to MPs for their contribution to Parliament. The awardees were selected by the Jury Committee, chaired by Hansraj Ahir, Chairman of the National Commission for Backwards Classes (NCBC). Mahtab, Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), N K Premachandran (RSP) and Shrirang Appa Barne will receive the awards for 'Outstanding and Consistent Contribution to Parliamentary Democracy". These four Members of Parliament were top performers during the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha and continue doing so in their present tenure as well, a statement from the Prime Point Foundation said. The other awardees are Smita Wagh (BJP), Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena UBT), Naresh Ganpat Mhaske (Shiv Sena), Varsha Gaikwad (Congress), Medha Kulkarni (BJP), Praveen Patel (BJP), Ravi Kishan (BJP), Nishika

Rahul Gandhi demands Parliament session to discuss Op Sindoor, US mediation

Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging clarity on ceasefire talks with Pakistan

Parl panel seeks action plan against 'anti-national' social media platforms

A parliamentary panel has sought details from two key ministries overseeing information flow on the action they have planned against social media platforms and influencers who "seem to be working against national interest", following the Pahalgam terror attack. The parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, has noted that some social media influencers and platforms in the country seem to be working against national interest, which is likely to incite violence, sources said. The committee, in a communication to the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, has sought details of the "contemplated action to ban such platforms under IT Act, 2000 and Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021". The letter, the sources said, has been sent to the secretaries of the two ministries and they have been asked

Parliamentary panel seeks info on digital market competition from CCI, MCA

A Parliamentary panel has sought detailed information from regulator CCI and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on various aspects of competition in relation to the digital markets, including those pertaining to the digital competition bill, according to sources. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, which is looking into the 'Evolving Role of Competition Commission of India in the Economy, particularly the Digital Landscape', had a meeting on April 28. Following the meeting, the panel, headed by headed by BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab, has sought more details on various aspects of competition in the digital markets, Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the actions taken by the watchdog. Among other topics, the sources said the committee has asked about whether the ongoing India-US bilateral trade negotiations has any bearing on the progress of the digital competition bill. The draft Digital Competition Bill 2024 seeks to put in place several obligations for large ..

Dhankhar said Parliament supreme, it holds good for Assemblies too: TN CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday said that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's observation that Parliament is supreme; held good for Legislative Assemblies too, and wondered if governors could assume the role of duly elected governments. Referring to the Vice President's recent remarks in the light of the April 8 Supreme Court verdict in the Tamil Nadu government versus Governor R N Ravi case on the stalling of 10 bills, Stalin said as far as states were concerned the Legislative Assemblies were supreme and not Governors who were mere "rubber stamps' temporarily occupying the gubernatorial posts. "The Vice President has said the Parliament is supreme. That's what we also say. Is the Governor more supreme than the Legislative Assembly? I wish to ask will the Prime Minister remain silent if the President takes over his powers?" Stalin asked at a function organised by educationists and students here to felicitate him "for obtaining a landmark judgment from the Supreme Cour

Canadian prime minister's Liberals fall short of majority in Parliament

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals celebrated election victory in a stunning turn of fortune but fell short Tuesday of winning an outright majority in Parliament, and the party will have to seek help from other another, smaller party. The vote-counting agency Elections Canada has processed nearly all ballots in what turned out to be a razor-close race that will leave the Liberals three seats short of a majority. Recounts are expected in some districts. Carney's rival, populist Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, was in the lead until US President Donald Trump took aim at Canada with a trade war and threats to annex it as the 51st state. Poilievre not only lost his bid for prime minister Monday but was voted out of the Parliament seat that he held for 20 years. That capped a swift decline in fortunes for the firebrand Poilievre, who a few months ago appeared to be a shoo-in to become Canada's next prime minister and shepherd the Conservatives back into power for the fir

Optimistic about impact of Trump tariffs, RBI tells parliamentary panel

At the panel's meeting, Governor Malhotra and Deputy Governor Rajeshwar Rao were present

Parliament security breach: HC to hear bail plea of accused on May 7

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said it would hear on May 7 the bail pleas of two accused arrested in the 2023 Parliament security breach case. A bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, before whom the bail pleas were listed for hearing on Tuesday, was informed by the prosecutor that an additional solicitor general has to argue on behalf of the prosecution and he was unavailable today. Accepting the request for adjournment on behalf of the prosecution, the court said it would hear on May 7 the bail pleas of Neelam Azad, the sole woman accused in the case, and Mahesh Kumawat. The counsel for Azad opposed the adjournment request saying "it was a delaying tactics" and such a conduct was not good for the country. The court, however, shot back saying, "enough, you have irritated us". Earlier, the high court had asked the police to explain whether carrying or using a smoke canister, which is not lethal, is covered under the stringent Unlawful Activities ...

Rahul Gandhi, Kharge demand special Parliament session over Pahalgam attack

Opposition leaders urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene special Parliament session, call for national unity after Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people

Parliamentary standing committee on defence to meet today at 3 PM

This development comes as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today

Finmin plans to introduce Insurance Amendment Bill during monsoon session

The Insurance Amendment Bill, which proposes 100 per cent FDI in the insurance sector, may be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming monsoon session, sources said. The draft bill is ready and will be placed before Cabinet for its approval soon, sources said, adding, after Cabinet nod the Department of Financial Services under the finance ministry would begin the process for introduction of the Bill in the Parliament. The ministry hopes to table the Bill in Parliament during the upcoming monsoon session, sources said. Monsoon session of Parliament usually commences in July. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this year's Budget speech proposed to raise the foreign investment limit to 100 per cent from existing 74 per cent in the insurance sector as part of new-generation financial sector reforms. "This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment wil

Sibal urge parties to seek special Parliament session on Pahalgam attack

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday requested political parties to urge the government to convene a special session of Parliament as early as possible in May in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. "On 25th of April, I suggested that a special session of Parliament be convened to show the nation's unity in this hour of grief," Sibal said. "I request all political parties to urge the government to convene such a session as early as possible in May," he said. Sibal on Friday had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a special session of Parliament and pass a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack to convey the message to the world that the country is united. Sibal had also suggested to the government to send delegations of the ruling and opposition MPs to various important countries so that diplomatic pressure can be created on Pakistan. Addressing a press conference here, the former Union minister suggested that as the US does with its sanctions, Indi

Over 20 lakh acre waqf land added post 2013 amendment: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday claimed an addition of 20 lakh acre waqf land post the law's 2013 amendment and flagged "misuse" of waqf provisions to encroach upon private and government properties. In a preliminary affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Centre urged the bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna to dismiss the pleas challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The government termed it "really shocking" that after the amendment brought in 2013, there was a 116 per cent rise in the auqaf area. "Right before even Mughal era, pre-independence era and post-independence era, the total of wakfs created was 18,29,163.896 acres of land in India," it claimed. The Centre, however, said, "Shockingly after 2013, the addition of wakf land is 20,92,072.536 acres." The affidavit claimed the figures were uploaded by the respective waqfs and waqf boards voluntarily on Waqf Management System of India portal. The government said it has been the consistent experience that every waqf an

Waqf row: Centre opposes SC blanket stay on law with presumed validity

The Centre on Friday defended the amended Waqf Act in the Supreme Court and opposed any "blanket stay" by the court on a "law having presumption of constitutionality passed by Parliament". In a preliminary 1,332-page affidavit, the Centre urged the top court to dismiss the pleas challenging the validity of Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, pointing out a "mischevious false narrative" surrounding certain provisions. "While this court would examine these challenges when the cases are heard, a blanket stay (or a partial stay) without being aware of the adverse consequences of such an order in a generality of cases (even on members of the Muslim community itself) were the petitions to be unsuccessful, would be uncalled for, especially in the context of the presumption of validity of such laws," it argued. The Centre, as a result, urged a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, set to hear pleas for passing interim directions on May 5, not to stay the law's provisions. The government ...

Parl security breach: Delhi HC to hear accused bail plea on April 29

The Delhi High Court on Thursday set April 29 to hear the bail plea of Neelam Azad, the sole woman accused arrested in the 2023 Parliament security breach case. A bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar said it would then hear Azad's bail plea along with a similar petition of co-accused Manoranjan D. During a brief hearing, the high court asked the police to explain on the next date whether carrying or using a smoke canister, which is not lethal, covered under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for the offence of terrorist activities. In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, accused Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D allegedly jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during zero hour, released yellow gas from canisters and sloganeered before they were overpowered by some MPs. Around the same time, two other accused -- Amol Shinde and Azad -- allegedly sprayed coloured gas from

'Parliament is supreme': VP Dhankhar renews attack on judicial overreach

Amid judiciary vs executive row, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar backs Parliament's primacy, slams SC over contradictory verdicts, and seeks institutional accountability