Page 9 - Parliament

Performance of regulatory bodies, railway subsidies under PAC scanner

Amid a political storm over allegations of conflict of interest against SEBI chairperson Madhabi Buch, the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has decided to review the performance of regulatory bodies established by Acts of Parliament. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Congress leader and Lok Sabha member K C Venugopal, decided to include suo-moto subjects -- performance review of regulatory bodies established by Acts of Parliament, reforms in banking and insurance sector, review of implementation of centrally sponsored welfare schemes -- as part of its agenda that includes a total of 161 subjects. Buch is facing allegations of conflict of interest over the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) investigation into the Hindenburg Research claims against the Adani Group. The Congress has questioned payments made to Buch made by ICICI Bank, her former employer, after she became a whole time member of SEBI, and sought an independent probe into the matter. The

Parliament's Public Accounts Committee likely to summon Sebi chief Buch

The PAC will probe the allegations against the Sebi chief and also ask her and other officials from the ministries of finance and corporate affairs to appear before the committee

Switzerland govt submits EFTA-India trade agreement to Parliament

In 2018, after EFTA and Indonesia signed an FTA, a Swiss non-government organisation Public Eye highlighted deforestation in Indonesia for palm tree cultivation as well as the death of orangutans

Let me finish term in RS, I'll write story set in Parliament: Sudha Murthy

Parliamentarian and author-philanthropist Sudha Murthy on Sunday said although she has read a book set in Parliament way back in the 1980s, about Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, since so much has changed about India and the Parliament since then, that she would not mind writing about it. "Although, I have to finish my term as a Rajya Sabha member first, before I could attempt to do that," said Murthy on Sunday. Murthy was in conversation with fellow author and actor Twinkle Khanna, at the celebration of the launch of her 300th book title and 46th book 'Grandpa's Bag of Stories' here. The event was organised by Bengaluru-based Lit Spirit Foundation. But in her immediate list of wishes is a book on 'shlokas' that her grandfather used to recite, she said. "Like the one my grandfather used to recite when someone went travelling or stepped out of the house," said Murthy. Murthy also said it is not likely that she will not set her stories in the United Kingdom, even though it is the place of

BJP's minority wing to seek Muslims' views on Waqf bill, notify parl panel

Amid strident criticism of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill by some major Muslim bodies, the BJP's 'Minority Morcha' will rally counterviews in support of reforms in Waqf boards and seek suggestions on the law to present it to the parliamentary committee examining the Bill. Sources said a team of seven BJP members, including state Waqf Board chairpersons, will elicit views of the minority community across the country and assuage their concerns on a host of issues. "We will convey to the committee every point of view. If there is any concern on any aspect of the Bill, we will express it as well. But the need for reforms in Waqf boards is felt by the community everywhere," a BJP leader claimed. They Minority Morcha will share the report with the BJP leadership and the parliamentary panel headed by veteran party MP Jagdambika Pal. The committee members include Shadab Shams, Sanwar Patel and Mohsin Lokhandwala, who head the boards in Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and Haryana Waqf .

Azerbaijan holds election expected to retain president party's dominance

Azerbaijan on Sunday is holding a snap parliamentary election that is the first for the country since it regained full control of a former breakaway territory in a lightning offensive last year. Previous elections since independence from the Soviet Union have not been regarded as fully free or fair, and the vote for the Milli Mejlis parliament is not expected to bring significant changes to the body that is dominated by the New Azerbaijan party of President Ilham Aliyev. Under the constitution, the election would have been held in November, but Aliyev decreed it to take place two months early because the capital of Baku will host United Nations climate talks known as COP29 that same month. Aliyev and his late father, Heydar Aliyev, have led Azerbaijan with their heavy-handed rule since 1993, suppressing dissent as the country of almost 10 million people on the shores of the Caspian Sea basked in growing wealth from its huge oil and natural gas reserves. New Azerbaijan holds 69 of t

Joint Parl panel on Waqf Bill seeks suggestions from experts, stakeholders

The Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Friday sought suggestions from stakeholders, experts and other institutions on the proposed law. The bill seeks to reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal. According to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the committee led by BJP's Jagdambika Pal has asked for "views/suggestions from the public in general and NGOs, experts, stakeholders and institutions in particular" considering the "wider implications" of the bill People have been asked to share their suggestions in writing in the next 15 days. The memoranda and suggestions submitted to the committee would form part of the records of the Committee and would be treated as "confidential", it said. Those who wish to appear before the committee, besides submitting views in writing, have been asked to specifically indicate so in their correspondence. The Bill is the first major initiative from the BJP-

NDA on the cusp of RS majority with 11 candidates elected unopposed

The Rajya Sabha currently has 237 members, with four vacancies each in the nominated category and from Jammu and Kashmir, with the majority mark being 119

Singapore Indian-origin Oppn leader seeks HC trial over alleged lies

Singapore's Indian-origin leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has applied to have his case heard in the High Court instead of the State Courts. Singh, 48, faces two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee that was convened in November 2021 to look into the lying controversy involving his party's former MP Raeesah Khan. Khan has resigned from Parliament. He applied to have the case heard in the High Court on Monday, according to a Channel News Asia report. Singh's lawyers, Andre Darius Jumabhoy and Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, relied on the case of former transport minister S. Iswaran which has been rescheduled for hearing in the High Court next month. Citing the Iswaran case, the lawyers said in the arguments that there was also "strong public interest" for Singh's case to be heard in the High Court. This is the first prosecution of its kind, the Channel cited Jumabhoy as having said. "This case goes to the very essence of our democracy, and this is not my characterisation,"

Ukraine's new judges aim to build rule of law to realise European dreams

Appointments, long stalled by political tussles even before the war, follow an overhaul of judicial governance sought by the EU, which Kyiv aims to join to cement its shift from Moscow's orbit

Modi's body language, confidence changed after Parl poll results: Rahul

Striking an emotional chord with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Thursday said he considers himself their soldier in New Delhi, and added his doors are always open for party workers -- "the lions of the Congress". Taking a dig at the prime minister, Gandhi said Modi's body language and confidence have drastically changed after the parliamentary poll results. "You know my relationship with you. It is not a political connection. It is a relationship of love and that of my family's background. My family comes from your state," the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha told Congress workers here. He was addressing them on the second and concluding day of his visit to poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir. "So, you should always feel that you have a sepoy in Delhi. I am your sepoy. Whatever you need, my doors are always open for you," he said. "You only have to give me an order, and I will be present before you," Gandhi said amid amid huge applause. Flanked by Con

Parliament panel on Waqf meets, Oppn MPs oppose proposed amendments

BJP members of the committee appreciated the proposed amendments, particularly the one that seeks to give representation to Muslim women in Waqf boards

First meet of Parliament joint committee panel on Waqf Bill underway

Parliament's Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill met here for the first time on Thursday where officials from the minority affairs and law ministries are briefing them about the various amendments proposed in the draft law. The 31-member committee, headed by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, has been tasked by the Lok Sabha to scrutinise the contentious bill, which has drawn protests from the opposition parties and Muslim organisations. The representatives from the minority affairs ministry were expected to brief the committee on the "amendments proposed on the Bill", the Lok Sabha secretariat said. The JPC will discuss the bill threadbare and also the concerns over it, Pal said ahead of the meeting, adding that voices of different stakeholders will be heard by the committee "We will discuss all the 44 amendments and bring a good and comprehensive Bill by next session," he said. Pal said the committee will call various Muslim bodies representing different sects to hear their ...

Improve skills to avoid mistakes in bill drafting: LM Meghwal to officials

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday stressed the need to have strong communication skills, especially in his ministry as he cited mistakes in the draft women's reservation bill which resulted in officials sitting past midnight to rectify the flaws. He said communication skills have a major role in the legislative department which helps ministries draft bills, ordinances and key policy documents. Small mistakes in the application of commas and full stops can create problems, he said. "We saw this in Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's reservation bill). There were so many mistakes. We had to make officials sit late in the night... perhaps till 2 am... this is not what was said, how did you reach such a conclusion (such issues were pointed out)... you have to understand and learn the communication part more," he told a gathering of legislative department officials. He was addressing officials after a motivational speech delivered by an expert. Responding to certain ...

Draft personal data protection rules likely in a month: Ashwini Vaishnaw

On the draft broadcasting bill, the Minister said that the government will have a fresh look, with much wider consultation

Women's reservation in Parliament, assemblies will empower them: MP CM

The move to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and the state assemblies will greatly empower them, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Monday. Speaking to PTI, he said the government was committed to working for women's welfare and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the legislation providing women 33 per cent reservation in elected bodies. "The role of women in public welfare works has increased. PM Modi has given 33 pc reservation to women in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas. It is a big decision. The world will see the power of Indian democracy. India will continue to grow under the leadership of Modi ji," Yadav said. Incidentally, on Saturday, the India unit of the UNICEF appreciated Yadav's initiative to provide sanitary napkins to schoolgirls in a bid to to promote menstrual health among adolescents. "The government had announced plans to provide sanitary pads to girls studying in high school and high secondary. I am thankful as the government

First meeting of Parl joint committee on Waqf Bill to be held on Aug 22

The first meeting of the Parliament's joint committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will be held next week. The committee, chaired by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, will meet representatives of the ministries of minority affairs, and law and justice on August 22, a notice from the Lok Sabha secretariat said. The representatives from the minority affairs ministry are also expected to brief the committee on the "amendments proposed on the Bill", the secretariat said. The Bill is the first major initiative from the BJP-led NDA government aimed at reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal. It proposes several reforms, including establishing a Central Waqf Council alongside state Waqf Boards with representation to Muslim women and non-Muslim representatives. A contentious provision of the Bill is the proposal to designate the district collector as the primary authority in determining whether a property is classified as Waqf or government land. The

Key parliamentary panels constituted, Congress' KC Venugopal to head PAC

Key parliamentary panels, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that will be headed by Congress' K C Venugopal, have been constituted. BJP's Sanjay Jaiswal will head the Committee on Estimates while his party colleague Baijayant Panda will chair the Committee on Public Undertakings. The Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) and Committee on Estimates are the key financial committees of Parliament tasked with keeping a watch on the government's accounts and the functioning of public undertakings. The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a bulletin on Friday announcing the constitution of parliamentary committees. The three committees have a tenure of one year and have members from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. They are elected by the two Houses. Besides, there are other department-related standing committees which keep an eye on various Union ministries and departments. The Committees on the welfare of Other Backward Classes as also for the welfare o

Newly elected Thai PM Paetongtarn faces challenge of reviving economy

The fall of Srettha after less than a year in office will be a stark reminder of the kind of hostility Paetongtarn could face

Thai Parliament set to choose new PM, Thaksin's daughter likely nominee

Thailand's Parliament convened to select a new prime minister Friday with the youngest daughter of the divisive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra expected to be nominated. The vote would come two days after a court removed the last prime minister over an ethics violation. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, is the leader of the Pheu Thai party. She does not hold an elected office, which the law doesn't require of prime ministerial candidates. The parliament also does not require her to be present at the vote. If Paetongtarn is approved in Parliament's vote, she will become Thailand's second female prime minister and the country's third leader from the Shinawatra family, after her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra. She will also become the country's youngest leader. Thaksin was the first Thai politician ever to win an overall majority of seats. He is one of Thailand's most popular but divisive political figures and was ousted by a military coup in 2006. He is widely seen as a de facto