
Matters pending before judiciary can't be discussed in Parliament: Rijiju on SIR debate
Addressing the House, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijuju said the functioning of autonomous institutions, such as the Election Commission, cannot be discussed in Parliament. Rijiju cited a 1988 ruling by then LS speaker Bal Ram Jhakar that under the existing constitutional provisions, the House cannot comment upon the actions of EC. "On the issue of special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar for which they (opposition members) are disturbing the House from first day of the session, we all know that the matter is under consideration of SC and as such it is sub judice, and hence, a discussion cannot be held on the subject," he said.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Turning to ‘spiritual powers' to fight ‘vote jihad' led to Mahayuti's victory: CM Fadnavis
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said he and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde turned to the 'spiritual powers' in the state to counter the 'vote jihad' experiment observed during last year's Lok Sabha election in May which led to their unprecedented victory in the assembly poll later in Nov. "An experiment was conducted in the name of 'vote jihad' during the Lok Sabha poll. Some people united to defeat nationalist thoughts. When we unearthed their conspiracy, I and Shinde Saheb, appealed to the spiritual powers in Maharashtra," he said. Fadnavis was speaking at an event organised by spiritual leader Ramgiri Maharaj at Shani Devgaon village in Vaijapur taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP's Mahayuti alliance suffered a setback in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha election but made a remarkable comeback six months later in the assembly poll. "We told Ramgiri Maharaj and other seers in Maharashtra that this (vote jihad) is not a political invasion but a clear attack on our culture. There is a feeling that a handful of people are uniting to defeat the thoughts of nationalism and our sants," Fadnavis said. The CM said Maharashtra would have witnessed attacks on temples and its culture, as in the past, had the vote jihad experiment succeeded. "Govts come and go. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Are Unstoppable: The Most Beautiful and Talented Female Athletes Undo No post is permanent. However, this country and 'dharma' should remain united and intact," he said. Fadnavis said he bowed to spiritual leaders as they ignite the minds of people. "Ramgiri Maharaj and the others told people that they have bury caste differences to save our culture," the CM said, adding that their power was seen in Mahayuti's 'unprecedented' victory. BJP won 132 seats, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41 during the 2024 assembly election in the 288-member legislative assembly. In his speech, the CM said but he met the seer to express gratitude. Fadnavis also announced govt's support for a Rs 109-crore development plan of 'Sarala Bet', a shrine under the aegis of Ramgiri Maharaj, and the approval to construct a barrage on a river at Shani Devgaon village. Work on the diversion project to bring excess water from west-flowing rivers to Marathwada would begin this year, he added.


NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Poll Body Sends Reminder To Tejashwi Yadav Amid Dual EPIC Card Row
Patna: The Election Commission has issued a reminder notice to Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, urging him to respond by August 8 regarding the alleged dual EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) matter. The notice, dated August 6, follows up on an earlier request made after Tejashwi displayed a voter ID card during a press conference held on August 2, 2025. During the investigation, it appeared that Tejashwi Yadav has two EPIC numbers, one displayed by Tejashwi Yadav and the other claimed by the Election Commission. In the letter, the Election Commission stated: 'You (Tejashwi Yadav) were requested to provide the details of the mentioned EPIC card along with the original copy of the card mentioned in the press conference... but till now the desired documents have not been provided by your level.' The Commission has asked for the submission of both the card details and the original copy to facilitate a thorough investigation. Tejashwi Yadav, on his part, stated earlier on Tuesday that he would respond to the Commission's notice, but also demanded that the EC respond to the irregularities raised during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. Meanwhile, the RJD has intensified its criticism of the Election Commission's handling of the voter list revision. RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the deletion of nearly 65 lakh names from the electoral rolls, as per the draft published on August 1. Gagan questioned why the category-wise breakup of the deletions — such as dead, displaced, duplicate, or unverified voters — has not been made available, despite repeated requests. 'The partial list being shared with political parties does not mention the reasons for deletion,' he said. He also referred to the memorandum submitted by the INDIA bloc to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar on August 1, as well as a formal letter written by RJD state president Mangani Lal Mandal on August 5 (letter no. 170-15.8.25), reiterating the demand for transparency. The RJD further demanded details on how many voters in the draft list have submitted documents to retain their names and asked that the EC's daily bulletins reflect such data. Gagan warned that, apart from the 65 lakh already deleted, another 1.5 to 2 crore names may be at risk of deletion if documentation is not submitted in time. The ongoing EPIC card row and voter list revision controversy come at a politically sensitive time in Bihar, with the state assembly elections expected in the coming months.


Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Tewari raises railway station work, govt says no fixed timeline can be given for completion
The long-promised redevelopment of the Chandigarh Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station (ABS) Scheme remains mired in delays and uncertainty, with the Ministry of Railways admitting in Parliament that no fixed timeline can be provided for its completion. This comes in a response, given to a question raised by MP Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha on August 6. Speaking on the matter, Chandigarh MP Tewari expressed his disappointment, stating, 'It is unfortunate that rather than recognising the utter chaos, anarchy and mayhem that prevails at the railway station, the ministry's response avoids accountability. The answer gives no timeline for when the renovation will finally be over and fails to offer any solution to the persistent parking mess. In all, the reply betrays the total inefficiency of the Railway Ministry.' Meanwhile, in its written reply, the ministry confirmed that Chandigarh Railway Station is being redeveloped under the ABS scheme with a sanctioned cost of Rs 436.29 crore. While structural works on the Panchkula and Chandigarh sides have been completed — including platform upgradation, foot overbridges, parking areas, and new building finishes — the ministry admitted that no definite completion date can be given due to numerous on-ground challenges. These include statutory clearances (fire, heritage, airport), shifting of utilities (water, sewage, power, optical fibre), ongoing train operations, and speed restrictions due to nearby high-voltage lines. All these factors, the ministry claimed, are affecting progress, and thus no timeline can be committed at this stage. The station's inclusion in the national ABS scheme is part of a broader plan to modernise 1,337 stations across the country, out of which work at 105 has already been completed. However, work at Chandigarh railway station is still not complete. The ministry stated that routine inspections are being conducted and cleanliness is being maintained, but passengers and local residents continue to face overcrowding and inadequate amenities. Chandigarh falls under Northern Railway, which has been allocated Rs 2,216 crore under Plan Head-53 for customer amenities for the financial year 2025–26, mentioned the ministry in its response to Tewari's question.