Monsoon Session of Parliament to commence today
This years Monsoon Session carries a packed legislative agenda, as the government prepares to introduce and discuss several significant pieces of legislation. Among the bills listed for consideration are proposed amendments to taxation laws, updates to shipping regulations, adjustments to regional taxation frameworks, and reforms related to educational institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management.
Debates are expected to extend beyond legislative matters, with both ruling and opposition parties preparing to address recent developments in national security and foreign policy. Incidents such as the recent attack in Pahalgam and ongoing government operations abroad have heightened expectations of detailed discussion on internal and external security measures. Additionally, issues related to the digital transformation of parliamentary functioning and broader policy changes are likely to feature prominently in floor debates.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
4 hours ago
- India.com
Parliament Braces For Uproar? Congress Issues Whip, Gears Up For Fiery Operation Sindoor Faceoff
Congress on Sunday issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, directing them to be present in the House for the following three days, beginning from Monday (July 28), as the debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor is scheduled to take place. This is a step by the grand old party to ensure full attendance during Parliament's ongoing Monsoon Session. The discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack was a consistent demand of the Opposition, and thus, it is a high-stakes debate. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the debate on Operation Sindoor will be held for 16 hours in the Lok Sabha and for 16 hours in the Rajya Sabha. The first week of the Monsoon Session 2025 was marked by constant adjournments, major disruptions, and a surprise exit of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President. Op Sindoor Discussion In Parl Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to initiate the discussion on Operation Sindhoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Furthermore, sources cited by ANI have informed that Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are also expected to take part in the discussion in the Lower House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to take part in the discussion. Meanwhile, the discussion on Operation Sindoor is expected to take place on Tuesday (July 29), and the Defence Minister and the EAM could participate in the discussion along with the PM. Opposition In Parliament Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor and have sought the government's clarification over US President Donald Trump's repeated claims that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The Opposition parties had been demanding PM Modi's presence during the debate. Since the Prime Minister travelled abroad on a two-nation visit this week, the discussion has been scheduled for next week. Apart from this, according to ANI, the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc parties will meet on Monday at 10 am to discuss the strategy for the second week of the monsoon session.
Hans India
11 hours ago
- Hans India
FairPoint: Time to hold MPs accountable for parliamentary disruptions
It is essential for the Opposition to voice dissent and hold the government accountable, and it is equally crucial for Parliament to function effectively and efficiently to fulfil the well-established, constitutionally set responsibilities. This is what the rule book says -- the manifestation of a true democratic convention. But when dissent escalates into chaos, disrupts Parliamentary order, and seeks to derail conventions, it's not normal. The first week of the 2025 Monsoon Session was washed away because of the Opposition's continued vociferous protests on various issues. It is not wrong to protest, but it certainly is not right the way the Opposition has been halting the work. No productive work could be done, barring a few instances -- such as when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a statement on the Kargil Vijay Diwas anniversary, and when Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh administered the oath to actor and MKM chief Kamal Haasan and three DMK members. The Opposition's protests seem to be driven more by ego than by a genuine desire to address the issues they claim to care about. Their focus has been on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar -- an exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the state Assembly polls due later this year. The Opposition has been demanding a discussion, alleging that this is a ploy to reduce voters and help the BJP. Even though the ECI has issued statements regarding this, the Opposition is just not ready to listen. Their MPs have been storming the well of the Houses, flashing placards and banners, and preventing fellow MPs from speaking on issues. On Friday (July 25), for example, when YSRCP's Ayodhya Rami was speaking in the Rajya Sabha, two MPs from the Trinamool Congress, including Sagarika Ghose, disrupted his speech. Both the women MPs could be seen attempting to drown out Reddy's address, even as he continued speaking with visible amusement. While the Trinamool MPs seemed to be overwhelmed by the excitement of the action, it also exposed them. The din of the opposition MPs was so high that nothing else could be heard. Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was in the chair, tried hard to reason with the protesting members before ultimately adjourning the House. In the Lok Sabha, for the whole working week, Speaker Om Birla tried to pacify the shouting, non-yielding Opposition members, but in vain. He was repeatedly seen getting visibly annoyed with the flashing of placards in the House. He repeatedly mentioned that sloganeering and display of placards were not in keeping with the dignity of the House. Placards are not allowed within the Parliament House Complex, including both the Houses -- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This has been reiterated through advisories issued to MPs. Seeing his requests and warnings go in vain, Speaker Birla gave a dressing down to the protesting Congress-led Opposition. He pointed to senior Congress MP K.C. Venugopal and asked, "Do you teach them such methods to disrupt the House?" While expressing concern over the message such behaviour sends to new parliamentarians, he said, "Is this what you're teaching the next generation -- sloganeering, placard-waving, desk-thumping? These weren't the values your party once upheld. The nation is watching how the new MPs are being shaped." Indeed, the nation is watching. Disruptions have become routine in almost every session. But MPs seem unfazed by their conduct -- especially now, when everything is captured, shared, and judged in real time thanks to widespread Internet connectivity. A week of no productivity -- can any organisation afford this? The answer is a big no. In today's results-driven environment, why should MPs be allowed to waste an entire week in chaos? These repeated disruptions mean MPs aren't asking Ministers questions during Question Hour, a key mechanism for holding the government accountable. They also eat into valuable business hours, leaving inadequate time for debating legislation. As a result, crucial bills either get passed without discussion or remain pending. This is neither healthy for democracy nor fair to the electorate. This surely is not healthy for democracy. The nation is watching, and the examples they set are not encouraging. Similar scenes happening in the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Bihar Assembly, the last for this Nitish government, have also become the subject of ridicule. The perception that MPs and MLAs are more interested in political theatrics than in solving real issues is only growing stronger. It is high time that accountability for the work done is also set for the MPs and MLAs. They, too, should have report cards for each session, including both attendance and work done. Except for the legislators, the working class needs to maintain decorum, meet targets and show results. Why not the MPs and MLAs?
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Indian Express
P Chidambaram writes: Life is a mystery, not always beautiful
On July 10, 2025, Mr Jagdeep Dhankhar cheerfully announced 'I will retire at the right time — August 2027, subject to divine intervention.' He was the Vice President of India and, ex officio, Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. On July 21, Mr Dhankhar quietly resigned from the office of Vice President and, consequently, quit as Chairman. What happened between July 10 and July 21 is what makes life a mystery. Both Houses of Parliament began 'normally' on Monday, July 21. On the previous day, the government had convened the customary meeting of the floor leaders of political parties. The customary assurances of debate 'on all issues' and co-operation were exchanged between the government and the Opposition. Sadly, however, in the working of the Indian Parliament, there is currently no consensus between the Treasury and the Opposition on what, when and how the House may debate an issue of urgent importance. The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha usually insists on a debate under Rule 267. Rule 267 is a parliamentary device to defer the listed business and take up an issue of urgent importance. The motion is called an 'adjournment motion'. There is nothing sinister about invoking Rule 267. However, the NDA has considered a debate under Rule 267 as equivalent to a 'censure' of the government. (Perhaps, some governments in the past also took the same view). In the last 11+ years, the ruling Establishment had allowed a discussion on a motion under Rule 267 last on 'demonetisation' in November 2016. Since becoming Chairman, Mr Dhankhar had not allowed any debate under Rule 267. July 21 was no different, and what happened was straight out of Mr Dhankhar's playbook. A lone BJP member had given a notice under Rule 167 to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor; several members of the Opposition had given notices under Rule 267 on the same issue. The Chairman admitted the motion of the BJP member as a 'No-Day-Yet-Named Motion' and rejected the other motions on the oft-repeated ground they were not in conformity with the Rules and the laid-down procedure. Commotion followed. (No one has been made wiser on how to draft a motion under Rule 267 that would be in 'conformity with the Rules and the laid-down procedure'). The Chairman called a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) at 12.30 pm. Mr J P Nadda and Mr Kiren Rijiju attended representing the government. After some discussion, the meeting was adjourned to 4.30 pm. When the BAC met again, the two ministers were absent. Apparently miffed, the Chairman adjourned the meeting. He resigned at 9.25 pm, citing 'medical advice'. It is a telling commentary that no Party or MP implored Mr Dhankhar to withdraw his resignation. On July 22, the Deputy Chairman tersely announced in the House the 'occurrence of vacancy' in the Vice Presidency. Clearly, the government had decided to bid goodbye to Mr Dhankhar without fuss or fanfare or a farewell. The NDA government owed a lot to Mr Dhankhar. In American football parlance, he took upon himself the role of 'tackle'. He defended the RSS/BJP's position on One Nation, One Election (ONOE) and on the removal of the words 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Preamble to the Constitution. He criticised the Supreme Court for its judgement propounding the Basic Structure doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati case). He questioned the theory of judicial review of laws passed by Parliament. He asserted the right of the government to appoint judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts, debunking the proposition that the judiciary has primacy in such appointments (Second Judges case). He slammed the Supreme Court for invoking Article 142 to direct governors (and the President) to grant or refuse assent to Bills within 3 months. Contradicting Article 105, Mr Dhankhar asked members to 'authenticate' documents or data cited in their speeches. He defended sanatana dharma. He heaped fulsome praise on the RSS. His positions mirrored the conservative Right's views, and ought to have pleased the BJP. At different times, Mr Dhankhar belonged to the Janata Dal, Samajwadi Janata Party (of Chandra Shekhar), Congress and BJP. His appointment as Governor of West Bengal resurrected his political career. His unwarranted run-ins with the state government may have burnished his pro-BJP credentials but tarnished the office of governor. His surprise elevation as Vice President showed the faith reposed in him by the RSS/BJP to bear the right-wing flag. His conduct of proceedings earned him the distinction of being the first Chairman against whom a No Confidence motion was moved. What broke the cordial ties between Mr Dhankhar and the RSS/BJP? The idea of a motion to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma had germinated in a meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group on July 15. Signed by 63 members, the Opposition left Mr Dhankhar no choice but to admit the motion on July 21 (while a similar government-inspired motion had been lodged in the Lok Sabha on the same day). The motion forced Mr Dhankhar to act on the motion to impeach Justice Shekhar Yadav that he had held back for seven months. The speculation is that Mr Dhankhar's decisions on the two motions broke the camel's back. I disagree; the two motions were light straws. Obviously, there were more. Life is a mystery, and sometimes ugly.
