Rajnath, Shah & others meet to finalise Parliament strategy
NEW DELHI: Ahead of Parliament's Monsoon session, several Union ministers, including
Rajnath Singh
, Amit Shah, J P Nadda and Kiren Rijiju, on Friday strategised over the BJP-led govt's stand on germane issues amid the opposition raising the heat on matters such as the revision of Bihar's electoral rolls,
Pahalgam terror attack
and
Operation Sindoor
.
The strategy session of the group of ministers at defence minister Singh's residence also comes ahead of the customary all-party meeting scheduled on Sunday. Though there was no official comment on the agenda of the Friday meeting, sources said it was related to the Parliament session. Union ministers Piyush Goyal and G Kishan Reddy were among those present at the strategy meeting. Singh is likely to chair the all-party meeting.
Opposition parties have also been pushing the govt to bring a bill in Parliament on restoring statehood to J&K. On the special intensive revision (SIR) of rolls in Bihar, they have claimed that it is aimed at benefiting BJP. They have also seized on US President Donald Trump's claim of mediating the 'ceasefire' between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor to attack the Modi govt. BJP and its Bihar allies have backed the SIR in the poll-bound state, asserting that it is aimed at ensuring that only eligible people are allowed to vote in the assembly polls and take welfare benefits.
Congress seeks 2 days to discuss Pahalgam
Ahead of the opposition's meeting to chart the course for the coming monsoon session of Parliament, Congress said govt must allocate two days to discuss in Parliament the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent events.
The INDIA bloc will meet online on Saturday, while the Parliament session will get underway from Monday. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Pahalgam terror attack issue is serious as the terrorists have not been arrested yet, while the claims of US President Donald Trump about the IndiaPakistan 'ceasefire' have added a new dimension to the cessation of Operation Sindoor.
He said the revelations by three top defence officials including the chief of defence staff and the remarks of Lt General Rahul Singh about China's role, have made the subject 'very significant'. Ramesh said PM Modi should make a statement on all the issues which will be raised in the Parliament session. The INDIA bloc will meet online on Saturday, while the Parliament session will get underway from Monday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
28 minutes ago
- First Post
Mohammad Hidayatullah: The only Indian vice-president who also officiated as President and CJI
As India's second-highest office falls vacant with the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, history recalls the only man to have held the top three read more In an unprecedented development in India's constitutional history, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar tendered his resignation, citing health-related reasons. His exit from the second-highest constitutional office marks the first time a sitting vice president has voluntarily stepped down before completing the term. The resignation has created a temporary vacancy in the Rajya Sabha chair and prompted fresh discourse on constitutional succession. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the resignation under Article 67A of the Indian Constitution, with immediate effect. Following the announcement in the Rajya Sabha by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh assumed responsibility for chairing proceedings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This development brings to mind a moment from 1969, when India faced a similar constitutional gap and a remarkable figure—Mohammad Hidayatullah—rose to fill it. A stalwart of the Indian judiciary and polity, Hidayatullah remains the only individual in Indian history to have held the offices of Chief Justice of India (CJI), Acting President, and Vice President. A star in the Indian judiciary Hidayatullah was elevated to the position of Chief Justice of India in February 1968, under Article 124 of the Constitution. He was the first Muslim to hold the post and earned respect for his sharp constitutional insights and erudition. Assuming the presidency in a time of crisis The summer of 1969 brought a constitutional conundrum. President Zakir Husain passed away in office and Vice-President VV Giri stepped in as acting president. However, when Giri resigned to contest the presidential election, both the top posts stood vacant. Under the provisions of Article 65 and the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969, Chief Justice Hidayatullah was called upon to act as the President of India from July 20 to August 24, 1969. This was a moment of historical significance. It was the first and only time the chief justice had to act as the president due to vacancies in both the president and vice-president's offices. The Constitution, in its foresight, allowed for such an eventuality, highlighting the depth and resilience of India's legal framework. Vice-presidential tenure After retiring from the judiciary, Hidayatullah remained an influential figure in public life. In 1979, he was elected unopposed as the sixth Vice President of India, serving until 1984. His election was guided by Articles 63 to 68 of the Constitution, which regulate the post. During his tenure, he again briefly served as 'Acting President' in 1982 when President Zail Singh was abroad, reiterating his unique role in India's constitutional machinery. Landmark judgments and legal philosophy Hidayatullah's legacy as a jurist is rich with landmark cases and scholarly judgments. In the Golaknath vs State of Punjab case, he opposed Parliament's unrestrained power to amend the Constitution, especially concerning Fundamental Rights. His judgment in Ranjit D Udeshi vs State of Maharashtra also set important boundaries around freedom of expression and obscenity laws. His opinions combined legal precision with literary elegance, reflecting his vast intellectual horizon. Beyond the courtroom Hidayatullah remains a towering figure whose constitutional journey is unmatched. His ability to serve in the judiciary's highest post, temporarily hold the presidency and later serve as vice president highlights the flexibility of India's constitutional provisions and the depth of leadership they can foster. At a moment when India's vice-president's office stands vacant, reflecting on Hidayatullah's legacy provides both historical perspective and institutional reassurance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
India, US BTA not signed yet, 5 rounds of talks held: Govt to Parliament
The Monsoon Session of the Parliament begins on Monday marking the first sitting since Operation Sindoor, India's precision airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan. India and the US are currently engaged in negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with five rounds of talks completed as of now. Simultaneously, India's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK, finalized in May, aims for deeper economic integration and tariff concessions, benefiting various sectors including textiles, IT, and agriculture. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: India and US are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) which has not been signed as yet and five rounds of negotiations have been held till now, the government informed Parliament on BTA negotiations were launched in March 2025.'India and the US are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement which has not been signed as yet,' minister of state, commerce and industry ministry, told Lok Sabha in a written a separate reply, he also said that the last round of talks was held from July 14-18 in minister also said that India's free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK is a modern, comprehensive and landmark agreement which seeks to achieve deepeconomic integration along with trade liberalisation and tariff concessions.'The FTA ensures comprehensive market access for goods, across all sectors, covering all of India's export interests. The FTA seeks to promote good regulatory practices and enhance transparency that are in sync with India's own focus on domestic reforms to enhance the ease of doing business,' he that the government takes care of all the sensitivities associated with the FTA and ensures that India's interests are protected, he said: 'Every FTA is unique and is based on specific dynamics of trade and is aimed at maximizing benefits for both nations.'More than 99% of Indian exports are expected to benefit from tariff liberalization under the FTA including improved export opportunities in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, auto parts, and FTA will also support services exports due to commitments across trade in services such as IT/ITeS, financial services, professional services, other businessservices and educational agreement will benefit Indian farmers, fishermen, workers, MSMEs, startups and innovators,' he the India-UK FTA negotiations concluded in May, the talks with the EU are ongoing. Twelve rounds of negotiations have been held till recently, the last being from July 7-11 at Brussels.
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal rejects Congress' appeal against tax demand on ₹199 crore income
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on Tuesday (July 22, 2025) has rejected the Indian National Congress' appeal against an income tax demand on an income of ₹199.15 crore, saying that the party filed its returns past the deadline for availing of exemptions due to political parties, and that it also violated cash donation limits. 'We thus conclude that the assessee's return filed on 02.02.2019 is not within the 'due' date to make it eligible for the impugned exemption,' the ITAT said in its order. According to the order, the Congress filed its income tax return for the financial year 2017-18 on February 2, 2019. As per the Income Tax Act, 1961, political parties are allowed a later deadline for filing their returns. For the financial year 2017-18, that deadline was December 31, 2018. In its return, the Congress had declared nil income for 2017-18 after claiming an exemption of ₹199.15 crore under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. However, the ITAT ruled that, since the return was filed late, it was not eligible for this exemption. In addition, the assessing officer also found that the Congress had received ₹14.49 lakh as cash donations, which exceeded the limit of ₹2,000 per individual. According to changes made to the Income Tax Act made through the Finance Act 2017, political parties can receive donations above ₹2,000 only through formal banking channels, not cash. Overall, the party's declared total receipts of ₹199.15 crore against expenses of ₹197.43 crore, thereby showing a surplus of ₹1.71 crore. However, the Income Tax Department's assessment order on July 6, 2021, denied that the income could be exempted from tax, making the full receipt amount taxable. The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) then upheld this decision on March 28, 2023, following which the Congress approached the Appellate Tribunal.
