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Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Derek O'Brien writes: Cagey in the House
This week, leaders from 17 political parties wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to call a special session of Parliament in June. Within hours of doing so, a skittish government hurriedly announced the dates for a regular monsoon session starting July 21, seemingly turning down the demand for a special session. Normally, the lead time to announce a Parliament session (the number of days between announcement and commencement) has been around 20 days or less. The upcoming monsoon session has been announced 47 days in advance! At the time of going to press, another 250 MPs from the Opposition are endorsing the letter already dispatched by their party leaders to the Prime Minister. The demand for a special session was first raised by Kapil Sibal, eminent jurist and Independent MP, three days after the tragedy in Pahalgam. Opposition parties took the cue from there. Convening Parliament sessions: Let us start with the rulebook. Article 85 (1) of the Constitution stipulates, 'The President shall from time to time summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit…' The letter signed by the Opposition parties has been addressed to the Prime Minister. Yes, calling a special session is a decision the Union government takes. In practice, when MPs ask for a special session, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, after assessing the situation, (and accepting the need for a session) prepares a note, proposing the dates and duration. This is placed before the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. If the proposal is approved by the Prime Minister, the ministry then forwards it to the President, who formally approves and announces the session dates. It is another story if the government has what could be called, 'Parliament-ophobia' (noun) — the acute condition that is a morbid fear of facing Parliament. Precedents for special sessions: Even though there is no mention of a special session in the rulebook, there are numerous precedents. In 1972, a sitting was convened to celebrate 25 years of Independence. In 1992, Parliament held a midnight session to mark 50 years of the Quit India Movement. In 1997, a special session was called to commemorate 50 years of the Republic. Since 2014, three special sessions have been convened. One, in 2015, a two-day session, to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution in 1949. Two, in 2017, a midnight session, to introduce the Goods and Services Tax. In 2023, a five-day session, to mark the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The Women's Reservation Bill was also passed in the same session. These sessions to mark celebratory milestones are welcome. But the great halls of Parliament have to go beyond symbolism and anniversaries. There have been the odd occasions where governments have shown no urgency to break the routine. In 2006, over 180 people were killed in the Mumbai train bombings. Parliament waited for its next scheduled session before responding. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Parliament reconvened only when the pre-scheduled session resumed. Parliament must urgently deliberate and discuss the events that unfolded in Pahalgam, Poonch, Uri, Rajouri, and their aftermath. Here is the most convincing precedent. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Leader of the Opposition, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then a first-time Rajya Sabha MP, demanded a special session. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to this request, and the session was held when the active conflict was still on: 165 members participated in the debate — an open discussion on the war and government policy. In the past 15 years, many parliamentary precedents have been ignored. Just three examples: One, the position of the Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha has lain vacant since 2019. Two, from seven out of 10 bills being sent for scrutiny to committees, now only about two out of 10 bills go. Three, Opposition MPs were denied their right to electronic voting during the passage of crucial bills like the farm laws. This Union government's tendency to cock a snook at the legislature has a history. Look at the track record of the legislative assembly of Gujarat from 2001 to 2012. The state assembly, under the then Chief Minister, sat for fewer times than it did under any previous CM of Gujarat. In this period, the average number of sittings of the Gujarat Assembly was less than 30 a year. Beat that! Are we surprised that this government has all but ducked out from calling a special session? I am not surprised. But I am reminded of my civics teacher in middle school. It was he who first told me: 'The government is answerable to Parliament. Parliament is answerable to the people.' So when Parliament is sidelined, who is the government answerable to? The writer is MP and leader, All India Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party. Additional research: Chahat Mangtani, Ayashman Dey
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SC demands complete account of Khetri estate properties from Raj
1 2 Jaipur: In a key turn in the long-running legal battle over the estate of late Maharaja Sardar Singh of Khetri, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Rajasthan govt to provide a complete account of all properties taken over under the Rajasthan Escheats Regulation Act, 1956. The court ordered the state govt to include khasra numbers as well as current status of the properties and submit the report to it within six weeks. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 27. The direction came while hearing an application for directions filed by the Khetri Trust. The application that was moved in an SLP alleged that the state govt failed to safeguard the historic properties from encroachment and damage. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Trust, argued that the govt did not comply with earlier Supreme Court orders issued on Sep 22, 2022, and Jan 18, 2023, and that basic protective measures were missing. To strengthen its case, the Trust submitted a series of photographs showing forts and heritage buildings with broken gates, unrestricted public access and clear signs of neglect. The Trust claimed these conditions were in violation of repeated court instructions and govt assurances made over the years. On behalf of the state, additional advocate general Shiv Mangal Sharma denied the charges and said there was no encroachment on the properties. He told the court that over Rs 5 crore was already spent on renovation work and further repairs would be carried out after detailed inspections. He assured the bench that steps were being taken to prevent future trespassing and deterioration. The Trust further alleged that officers from the archaeology department and the local administration failed in their duties, citing the example of Bhopalgarh Fort, which remained open and unguarded until the Trust itself took steps to lock it. The application included photographs and official communication to back these claims. The legal dispute stems from the Rajasthan govt's use of the Rajasthan Escheats Regulation Act, 1956, to take possession of 62 properties once owned by Raja Sardar Singh, arguing he died intestate. The Khetri Trust, however, claims ownership based on a will dated Oct 30, 1985. While a single judge initially denied probate, a division bench later upheld the will and granted the estate to the Trust. That decision is now under challenge by the state in the current case. Over the years, the Supreme Court issued several interim orders to ensure the estate's protection, including forming a five-member committee headed by former chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog.
India Today
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Opposition parties seek answers on Op Sindoor, demand Parliament special session
The demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor and other pressing national security concerns is gaining momentum. At least 12 Opposition parties are now working in coordination to mount pressure on the BJP-led NDA government, calling for an urgent debate in the told India Today that the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), National Conference, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), CPI-ML, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and AIMIM are among the parties backing the demand for a special session. They want the discussion to focus on the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, ongoing ceasefire issues, and increased shelling along the MP Kapil Sibal was the first to call for a special session, having raised the issue publicly on April 25. Subsequently, Congress, Trinamool Congress, and AAP joined in, escalating the collective demand. This marks the first time since the Waqf Amendment Bill that such a broad coalition of Opposition parties is united in demanding accountability from the issues the Opposition wants to be addressed include:The Pahalgam terror attackOperation Sindoor and its aftermathShelling and artillery fire on civilian infrastructure in Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, and KupwaraThe broader ceasefire situation and national securitySpeaking to India Today, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien said, "We, the parties fighting the BJP, are working together and moving ahead with the demand for a special Parliament session."Both Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, have formally written to the government, pushing for the special WAIT FOR MONSOON SESSION: TMCadvertisementThe Trinamool Congress is now leading the charge, urging the government to hold the session before the Monsoon Session.'TMC extended full support to the Centre on Operation Sindoor. We even sent our national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee as part of the multi-party delegation,' said Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose. 'India stood united, but now we support Kapil Sibal's demand. The session must be held in June—we can't wait for the Monsoon Session.'Ghose and fellow MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar asserted that the government must answer key questions in Parliament and take the Opposition into confidence. 'Let the government face the House and condemn Pakistan-backed terrorism officially,' Ghose said. She has also raised questions about a possible intelligence failure in TRAINS GUNS ON PMOpposition leaders have begun pushing back against recent speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the BJP of politicising the sacrifices of security personnel.'The BJP's attempt to politicise the supreme sacrifice of our soldiers is unacceptable,' said Kakoli Dastidar, targeting the PM for blaming the Congress for historical missteps during the Partition MP Sanjay Singh also hit out, saying, 'If the Congress blundered during Partition, PM Modi repeated the same by declaring a ceasefire instead of letting the Indian Army act decisively—like in 1971 with Bangladesh.'He further added sarcastically, 'Not sure if Sindoor runs in PM Modi's veins, but he's clearly launched Operation Vote Bank.'Must Watch
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Operation Sindoor: TMC demands special session of Parliament in June
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) demanded a special session of Parliament to be held in June, ahead of the Monsoon session. The Monsoon session is likely to be held in July. The Opposition parties have been demanding a special session of the Parliament since the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. The demand was also raised in an all-party meeting held to inform MPs about Operation Sindoor. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Trinamool Congress' deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Sagarika Ghose said the party stood with the Government post the Pahalgam attack and during Operation Sindoor, and also supported the MP delegations sent abroad. "We now believe that having given full support to the government, we are now supporting the demand first made by MP Kapil Sibal, that there must be a special session of Parliament," Ms. Ghose said. "We demand that a special session be held in June, before the Monsoon session," she said. TMC leaders said the Opposition parties are working together to push for a special session of Parliament. "We, the parties who are fighting the BJP, are working together and moving ahead together on the demand for a special session of Parliament," TMC's Parliamentary Leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien told reporters. Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to Pakistani attempts. India has now sent seven multi-party delegations to key partner countries, including members of the U.N. Security Council, to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The delegations led by BJP's Baijayant Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad, JDU's Sanjay Kumar Jha, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, Congress' Shashi Tharoor, DMK's Kanimozhi, and NCP-SP's Supriya Sule will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is part of the delegation led by Mr. Jha.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
TMC demands Parliament special session on Operation Sindoor in June
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded a special session of Parliament to be held in June, ahead of the Monsoon session. The Monsoon session is likely to be held in July. Opposition parties have been demanding a special session of Parliament since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. The demand was also raised in an all-party meeting held to inform MPs about Operation Sindoor. Addressing a press conference here, Trinamool Congress' deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Sagarika Ghose said the party stood with the government post the Pahalgam attack and during Operation Sindoor and also supported the MP delegations sent abroad. "We now believe that having given full support to the government, we are now supporting the demand first made by MP Kapil Sibal, that there must be a special session of Parliament," Ghose said. "We demand that a special session be held in June, before the Monsoon session," she said. TMC leaders said opposition parties are working together to push for a special session of Parliament. "We, the parties who are fighting the BJP, are working together and moving ahead together on the demand for a special session of Parliament," TMC's Parliamentary Leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien told reporters. Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to Pakistani attempts. India has now sent seven multi-party delegations to key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council, to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. The delegations led by BJP's Baijayant Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad, JDU's Sanjay Kumar Jha, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, Congress' Shashi Tharoor, DMK's Kanimozhi and NCP-SP's Supriya Sule will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is part of the delegation led by Jha.
