Parliament passes Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, replacing 100-year-old Act
A brief debate was held on the Bill amid protests.
Several Opposition MPs who stood up to participate in the debate on the Bill, demanded a discussion on SIR.
Chair Bhubaneshwar Kalita, however, said anything unrelated to the Bill will not go on record.
Moving the Bill, Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the Bill intends to replace 100 years old, pre-independence Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925.
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Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
As deadline to submit identity papers looms, some confused, others unaware: ‘Will my father bank passbook work?'
For the last 10 days, Kumar, a teacher, has been shuttling between his school and 'field duty' in a village in Sarairanjan Assembly constituency of Bihar's Samastipur district. A volunteer for the Election Commission of India, he has a list of about 120 women whom he has to help with documents to ensure they make it to the final electoral roll. 'I have prepared an all-woman list because they are the ones who are struggling for identity documents – both of themselves and their parents,' says Kumar, whose first name has been withheld to protect his identity. The second phase of Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — during which the EC has invited claims and objections to its draft electoral roll that was published on August 1 — ends on September 1. While data released by the EC showed over 7.24 crore people had submitted their enumeration forms, many had done so without uploading any of 11 documents mandated by the EC to establish proof of identity. With the EC giving people time until September 1, it's a race against time for both officials and voters to get the papers in order. But on the ground, among those who are yet to submit their papers, some are confused, others unaware. The 120 women on Kumar's list are those who have made it to the draft roll, but haven't uploaded any of the 11 supporting documents. According to the EC notification, those who don't figure on the 2003 electoral rolls of Bihar have to submit, besides the enumeration form, any one of a list of 11 documents to prove date and/or place of birth, and for those born after July 1, 1987, that of their parents as well. The EC has deployed an estimated 1 lakh volunteers — teachers, anganwadi workers and panchayat secretaries — to assist Booth Level Officers (BLO) and help electors get the required documents. Among those on Kumar's list of 120 is Pramila Devi, 38. Both Pramila and her husband Ramkumar Giri, a small farmer, had voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. But since Pramila is not on the 2003 voter list, she has to submit two documents — one to establish her identity and another of either of her parents. 'I have a residential certificate but I have no clue how to get my parents' documents. They lived in Singhia block of Samastipur and died years ago,' she says. One of her acquaintances calls up the BLO, who suggests that she get a screenshot of the 2003 voter list with either of her parents' names on it. 'How do you get that? Will I not be allowed to vote if I don't get it?' Pramila wonders. Her husband is a voter on the 2003 list and has not made much of an effort to help his wife with the documents. Their son, Shravan Kimar, a Delhi University student, offers to help. 'I hadn't given it much thought yet. Let me see if I can get the booth number where my grandparents voted. I can then go to a cafe here and look for their name on the 2003 electoral list. We still have some time.' While Pramila is anxious, many such as Subodh Giri, 34, and his wife Radhiya Devi, 29, remain unaware that they need to furnish documents even though they have made it to the draft roll. Leaning against a thatched wall of his house, Subodh, a daily wager and a Class 7 dropout, says, 'We have given our Aadhaar cards and photographs. That should be enough. Anyway, our names are in (the draft roll),' he says. When asked if the BLO or any of the volunteers had approached them about the identity papers they need to submit, Subodh looks clueless. The Indian Express contacted one of the two BLOs in the village, who said there were about 500-odd voters from three polling booths in the village who are yet to submit their documents. The BLO said they had requested ward members to call a meeting of people who need help with their papers. The BLO then contacts Subodh and his wife and asks them to get their domicile certificates made and get a screenshot of the 2003 voter list with the name of either of Radhiya's parents. 'Thik hai, ab hum kaam par lag jaate hain (ok, we will get this done),' says Radhiya. Pramod Kumar Rai, 38, another resident of the village, too, has been struggling to get the right documents. His family originally belongs to Korbadha village in Samastipur, but Rai has been living in Sarairanjan since his childhood. His wife Baby Devi and he voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but the couple have now been told to get hold of documents to prove that their parents were voters in 2003. 'I visited the BLO twice to know what needed to be done. My wife found her father's name in the 2003 list, but I didn't find mine. I have submitted the 2003 list with my father's brother's name on it. I hope that works,' says Rai, a driver. Nearly 125 km from Samastipur, at Chitakohara in the Digha Assembly segment of Patna, Mukesh Kumar, a 40-year-old who works as a driver, is happy to have made it to the draft roll. When told that he will have to submit more documents since his name doesn't figure on the 2003 electoral rolls, Mukesh looks confused. He offers his Aadhaar card and driving licence, neither of which are among the 11 EC-mandated documents. No volunteer or official has contacted him or offered to help him with the documents. He then walks up to the village school where the BLO has set up a temporary office. 'Will my father's bank passbook work?' he asks the BLO. When told none of his documents work, he returns home, saying, 'Dekhte hain (let's see what I can do).' Mukesh eventually applied for a residential certificate.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Rahul's 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar starts today
Rahul Gandhi NEW DELHI/SASARAM: With Bihar gearing up for assembly polls, leader of opposition in LS Rahul Gandhi is all set to launch the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram in Rohtas district Sunday to highlight the alleged assault on people's voting rights through the special intensive revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls and to make the battle against "vote theft" a mass movement. Rahul will be joined in the yatra, spread over 16 days, by members of INDIA bloc parties that are part of the "mahagathbandhan" in Bihar, such as RJD's Tejashwi Yadav. The yatra will culminate with a show of strength at a rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on Sept 1. On Saturday, Rahul on X said, "Sixteen days, 20-plus districts, 1,300-plus kilometres. We are coming among the people with voter rights yatra. This is the right to protect the most fundamental democratic right - 'one person, one vote'. Join us in Bihar to save the Constitution." Addressing a press conference in Delhi about the yatra - that starts from south Bihar's Sasaram parliamentary constituency which is seen as a Congress stronghold - party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the yatra will travel across districts to cover the state and there will be three break days - Aug 20, 25 and 31. Besides Tejashwi, other INDIA bloc partners, which include three Left parties, will also be part of the yatra, he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo CPI (ML) Liberation confirmed to TOI that its general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, along with Karakat MP Raja Ram will be joining Rahul. CPM functionary Subashini Ali will also be part of the yatra. CPI is also part of the INDIA bloc. Khera alleged that SIR had actually exposed the designs of BJP to disenfranchise lakhs of voters, including Dalits, adivasis, minorities, the poor people and the daily wage labourers. He said thanks to the people of Bihar, activists, and Congress and INDIA bloc workers who raised their voice against SIR, the Election Commission has been forced to do the course correction. Khera said, it was only after Supreme Court's intervention that the EC was compelled to address the concerns of the common people and voters. Khera said the aim of the Yatra was to ensure awareness and alertness among the people so that the Modi govt does not continue with its conspiracy to deny voting rights to the people of Bihar.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Election Commission hits back at parties amid row over deletions from draft rolls
The Election Commission of India accused opposition parties on Saturday of raising electoral roll concerns at the wrong time, and scheduled a press conference for Sunday that will coincide with Congress launching a statewide yatra on in poll-bound Bihar The commission is scheduled to address a briefing at 3pm on Sunday The commission is scheduled to address a briefing at 3pm on Sunday, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi begins a 16-day 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar against what the opposition party says is alleged voter fraud via the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that has led to 6.5 million people being excluded from the state's electoral rolls. 'It seems that some political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) did not examine the electoral rolls at the appropriate time and did not point out errors, if any, to SDMs/EROs, DEOs or CEOs,' the commission said in a statement on Saturday, referring to a process that occurs yearly. The poll body said parties are now raising concerns outside the designated process. 'Recently, some political parties and individuals are raising issues about errors in electoral rolls, including the electoral rolls prepared in the past,' it said. The commission said there was a proper procedure for addressing electoral roll concerns. 'The appropriate time to raise any issue with the electoral rolls would have been during the claims and objections period of that phase, which is precisely the objective behind sharing the electoral rolls with all political parties and the candidates,' it stated. 'Had these issues been raised at the right time through the right channels, it would have enabled the concerned SDM/EROs to correct the mistakes, if genuine, before those elections,' the commission added. Typically, every year, electoral rolls undergo summary revision with a qualifying date of January 1, when citizens turning 18 become eligible voters. During this process, draft rolls are published, followed by a claims and objections period lasting several weeks where political parties and voters can challenge inclusions or exclusions. The final rolls are then published by January 31, giving parties multiple opportunities annually to scrutinise and correct electoral data through established legal channels. It is likely these draft rolls that the EC was referring to, but did not specify in its statement on Saturday. The poll body will hold a press conference on Sunday featuring Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and both Election Commissioners, though officials have not specified the subject. People aware of the details said the commission will discuss 'recent issues and allegations' regarding the Bihar verification drive. Officials aware of the matter told HT that the presser is a response to the Opposition's concerns on SIR especially the Congress's. Gandhi has alleged 'vote chori (vote theft)' in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana, accusing the poll panel of voter data manipulation. On August 7, he claimed there were 100,250 'stolen' votes in Bangalore Central's Mahadevapura assembly segment that helped the BJP win the 2024 Lok Sabha seat, accusing the commission of 'colluding' with the ruling party. The presentation prompted an immediate reaction from the commission, which asked Gandhi to send a signed declaration and oath supporting his allegations. Commission officials have since urged Gandhi to either sign the oath or 'apologise' to the nation. The commission said it welcomes scrutiny. 'ECI continues to welcome the scrutiny of Electoral Rolls by Political Parties and any Elector. It will help SDMs/EROs to remove the errors and purify the Electoral Rolls which has always been the objective of ECI,' it stated.
