Parliament Winter Session Day 14 Highlights: The Winter Session of the Parliament was adjourned sine die on Thursday, a day ahead of schedule. During the Session,100 MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha, another 46 from Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour, disrupting proceedings and showing placards and raising slogans over the breach issue. The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Thursday following the clearance of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Lower House for a brief appearance before Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings for an indefinite period. The CEC Bill, which was passed amid a walkout by the Opposition in Rajya Sabha on December 12, aims to establish procedures for the appointment of the three members of the Election Commission of India, replacing the Chief Justice of India from the panel to select top EC officials with a Cabinet minister nominated by the PM.
The Rajya Sabha passed a total of 17 Bills including legislations related to Jammu & Kashmir, Appointment of Election Commissioners, the Post Office Bill, The Telecommunications Bill. Three criminal bills – Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 – that seek to overhaul the country’s criminal justice system by replacing colonial-era laws, were unanimously passed today. The three bills were passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Parliament Winter Session Day 14 Highlights: Rajya Sabha passes three amended criminal bills. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the Upper House was able to transact business for 65 hours during the 14 sittings. He said that the overall productivity stood at 79 per cent.
Rajya Sabha passed a total of 17 Bills including legislations related to Jammu & Kashmir, Appointment of Election Commissioners, the Post Office Bill, The Telecommunications Bill and the three Bills namely Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were passed during this session.
Purpose of criminal laws was to punish those against British govt, Amit Shah says. He adds that once new criminal laws are implemented, entire process from FIR to judgment to be online.
Implementation of new criminal laws will ensure end to 'tareekh pe tareekh'-era, justice will be given in 3 years, the home minister says.
Biju Janata Dal MP Sasmit Patra made a strong pitch for the independence of Parliament in framing laws and said that the Supreme Court cannot dictate the legislative powers of the Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a brief appearance in the Lok Sabha before it was adjourned sine die. The PM arrived in the House to chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Jai Shri Ram'.
The Biju Janata Dal has backed the government on the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023.
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned sine die. The last day of the session saw the passage of the CEC Appointments Bill, among other legislative agenda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made a brief appearance in the Lower House minutes before the session concluded.
Three more MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha, taking the total number of MPs suspended from the Lower House to 100.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to address the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023. The Bills were moved in the Upper House at 2 PM today.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has moved the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha. The three Bills were cleared by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Rajya Sabha has passed the Telecommunications Bill 2023 by a voice vote. The Bill was moved in the Upper House by Communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to the debate on the Telecommunications Bill 2023 in the Rajya Sabha, Union Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that unlike the UPA regime, spectrum will only be allocated through auction. He did, however, list exceptions, where the entities involved fall in the realm of public service, or where the auction is not technically possible like satellites, from the process.
The CEC bill was introduced in the Upper House on August 10. The 1991 Act that it aims to replace did not have a clause related to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other ECs. Its passage in the Lok Sabha paves way for the Bill to become a law soon.
The Telecommunications Bill 2023 was tabled by Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage. A debate on the Bill is currently underway.
The Lok Sabha on Thursday cleared the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. The Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on December 12.
"We are in a situation where there is such disrespect for parliamentary democracy on the government's part," says Shashi Tharoor over MPs suspension.
UP minister Sanjay Nishad says that if a Parliamentarian's behaviour is inappropriate in the House, then action must be taken.
On the mass suspension of Opposition MPs, NCP MP Supriya Sule on Thursday said, "This is murder of democracy. It looks like there is an Emergency in the country."
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three bills that would replace India’s colonial-era criminal laws. The bills—Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 will replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively. The Rajya Sabha is likely to discuss these bills and pass them today. Read more
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is set to move the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha today for consideration and passage to amend and consolidate the law relating to the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of the spectrum; and for matters connected therewith. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out a strategy for their protest against the suspension of their colleagues. The suspended MPs, as per sources, are also expected to take out a march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk against their suspension at 11 am.
The final day of functioning of the Lok Sabha came amid the suspension of three more Opposition MPs - Deepak Baij, DK Suresh and Nakul Nath- taking the total number of suspensions in Lok Sabha to 100 and the combined tally of both houses to 146.