Page 7 - President

7 new laws, including Delhi services bill, receive Presidential assent

Seven new laws, including the one related to the control of services matter in Delhi, passed by Parliament this week came into force on Saturday after they received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. An official gazette notification in this regard was issued by the government. The legislations that become operational are the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023; The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023; The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023; The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Act, 2023; The National Dental Commission Act, 2023; and The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023. The Delhi services bill secured parliamentary approval on Monday after the Rajya Sabha passed the contentious measure that will give the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital, with the BJP-led NDA thwarting opposition challenge in

Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill gets President's assent

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed in both Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session, has received the President's assent. The law will allow the use of a birth certificate as a single document for admission to an education institute, issuance of a driving licence, preparation of a voter list, Aadhaar number, registration of marriage or appointment to a government job. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the legislation. The law will help create a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths which eventually would ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits, and digital registration. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha that the original Act had not been amended since its inception and to keep pace with the societal change and technological advancements during the perio

Ecuador arrests 6 in prez candidate Villavicencio assassination case

The six men arrested as suspects in the assassination of an anti-corruption Ecuadorian presidential candidate are Colombian nationals, a police report said Thursday as authorities investigated the motive for a crime that shocked a nation already reeling from a surge in drug-related violence. The six men were captured hiding in a house in Quito, Ecuador's capital, said the report, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. Officers also seized four shotguns, a 5.56-mm rifle, ammunition and three grenades, along with a vehicle and a motorcycle, it said. Fernando Villavicencio, 59, who was known for speaking up against drug cartels, was assassinated in Quito on Wednesday, less than two weeks before a special presidential election. He was not a front-runner, but his death deepened the sense of crisis around organised crime that has already claimed thousands of lives and underscored the challenge that Ecuador's next leader will face. Ecuador's interior minister, Juan Zapata, had earlier

Lok Sabha passes Bill to empower President with management of IIMs

The Lok Sabha Friday passed a Bill seeking to entrust the management accountability of the IIMs with the President, who will be a Visitor and have powers to audit their functioning, remove directors and nominate a member in the selection committee. Piloting the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Lower House, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government has no intention to take away the academic accountability from the institute but the Bill will only ensure its management accountability as the Centre has spent over Rs 6,000 crore in setting up the IIMs. Under the existing dispensation, the President of India is also a visitor at IITs and NITs, but no questions are being raised on the academic autonomy of these institutes, Pradhan said. The Bill, which was introduced on July 28, was passed by the Lower House by a voice vote amid disruptions by opposition members over the recent violence in Manipur. According to the Bill, which seeks to amend

Oppon leaders meet President Murmu, seek intervention on Manipur issue

Opposition leaders on Wednesday met President Droupadi Murmu here to seek her intervention on the Manipur issue. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had sought time from President Murmu on behalf of the opposition parties. The opposition parties are seeking the President's intervention in the matter, claiming that violence in the BJP-ruled northeastern state is continuing unabated. Some MPs of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) who visited Manipur on July 29-30 are part of the opposition delegation meeting the President. The opposition is demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by a discussion under Rule 267 after suspending all other House business, while the ruling dispensation wants a short-duration discussion on Manipur which will be replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Prez assented 247 bills from 2014-22; 95 bills still under process

The President has assented 247 bills that were received from the state governments and Union territories between 2014 and 2022, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Of these assented bills, the highest 24 were from Gujarat, followed by 23 from Uttar Pradesh. Mishra, the minister of state for home, said the central government has also received 95 bills between 2014 and 2022 from different state governments and UTs for obtaining assent of the President and all these legislations have been processed in consultation with the nodal central ministries and departments. Twenty-four bills from Gujarat, 23 bills from Uttar Pradesh and 22 bills from Maharashtra were assented by the President between 2014 and 2022, according to the data given by the minister in a written reply. Of the 95 bills still under process, 11 are from Uttar Pradesh, 10 from Maharashtra and nine from Andhra Pradesh. "In case of observations from the nodal ministries and departments, the ..

Impose president's rule in Manipur: DCW in report to President Murmu

President's rule should be urgently imposed in Manipur and a Supreme Court monitored SIT be set up to probe clashes in the state, the Delhi Commission for Women has said in a report listing interim recommendations sent to President Droupadi Murmu. DCW chief Swati Maliwal was in Manipur last week to interact with survivors of the ethnic violence that has wracked the state since May. "Given the extent of violence and the polarization between the two communities, President's rule, as per Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, should be urgently imposed in the state. The administration needs to be run by neutral persons whom both communities can trust," the report said. As part of the interim recommendations, the DCW has said Chief Minister N Biren Singh should resign from office and that a Supreme Court Monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) be set up to probe ethnic clashes and the government's response. Besides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers should urgently

India, Malawi share long-standing friendly relations: President Murmu

Welcoming the delegation to national capital, the President said that both India and Malawi share cordial relations and there is immense scope for adding greater depth to ties between the two nations

President Murmu visits birthplace of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Cuttack

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday visited the birthplace of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Odisha's Cuttack where she will attend various programmes during the day. Accompanied by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, she travelled around 30 km by road to reach Cuttack from Raj Bhavan in the state capital Bhubaneswar. Braving rains, people queued up on both sides of the road to have a glimpse of the president who hails from the state. Tight security arrangements have been made in the city for the president's day-long visit, police said. She started her Cuttack tour by paying obeisance at the famous Chandi temple here. President Murmu then went to the residence of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das and paid floral tribute to his statue. She visited the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Netaji Museum. Murmu is scheduled to attend the valedictory session of the 75th-year celebrations of the Orissa High Court in Cuttack and address the annual function of SCB Medica

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Prez Murmu met 16,000 people, including 1,750 from tribal groups in 1st yr

President Droupadi Murmu, who completed her first year in office on Tuesday, has met 16,000 individuals, including over 1,750 members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, during her visits to states and at Rashtrapati Bhavan in her tenure, according to the data provided by the top office. Murmu, the first tribal woman to hold the top office, met about 1,750 members of the tribal groups during her visits to Rajasthan, West Bengal, Telangana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, among others, it said. She has met more than 16,000 persons from various fields at Rashtrapati Bhavan and during her official visits to states and Union Territories in the last year, it said. In the first year, the President visited six of eight north eastern states, during which she addressed state assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram in addition to attending important functions like the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Gauhati High Court and statehood day celebrations

Gur Ravi instigates communal hatred, threat to peace: Stalin tells Murmu

Governor R N Ravi "instigates communal hatred" and he is a "threat" to Tamil Nadu's peace, Chief Minister M K Stalin has conveyed to President Droupadi Murmu, the government said on Sunday. In a letter to Murmu, Stalin said that Ravi has violated the oath of office he took under Article 159 of the Constitution, the government said in an official release. "Ravi is stoking communal hatred and he is a threat to Tamil Nadu's peace," Stalin said in a letter dated July 8, 2023. On the recent issue of the Governor's move to dismiss Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet, which he later backtracked from, Ravi showed his political slant, the CM claimed in his letter. On the one hand, Ravi delayed sanction to prosecute former ministers in the previous AIADMK regime and on the other hand, through his hasty action in Senthil Balaji's matter -- against whom only now a probe has begun -- he has displayed his political inclinations, the letter said. "By way of his behaviour and action, the .

President Murmu to attend Gondwana University convocation during Maha visit

President Droupadi Murmu has arrived in Nagpur on a visit to Maharashtra where she will address the convocation of the Gondwana University in Gadchiroli and attend other events. This is Murmu's first visit to Maharashtra after assuming the top constitutional office in July last year. The President arrived at the city airport on Tuesday evening and was welcomed by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari. She will address the 10th convocation of the Gondwana University in Gadchiroli on Wednesday and also inaugurate the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Sanskritik Kendra (cultural centre) at Koradi in Nagpur later in the day, a statement issued by the district information office said. On Thursday, she will interact with members of PVTGs (particularly vulnerable tribal groups) at the Raj Bhavan in Nagpur, it said. She will later leave for Mumbai, where she will attend a civic reception at the Raj Bhavan to be

President Murmu to visit Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra from July 3-7

The President will attend Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence's second convocation on July 3, 2023, at Muddenahalli, Karnataka

President Murmu hopes 50% of practising CAs will be women by 2047

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday expressed hope that 50 per cent of the practising chartered accountants in the country will be women by 2047. Efforts should be made to ensure that the chartered accountancy profession becomes a "pillar of economic governance", the President said. She was speaking at a function to mark the 75th Chartered Accountants' Day organised by the ICAI in the national capital. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has nearly 4 lakh members and more than 8 lakh students. A new CA (Chartered Accountant) scheme was launched at the event.

President should remove TN Governor RN Ravi: Cong leader Manish Tewari

This comes after Tamil Nadu Governor has decided to keep the dismissal order of the jailed DMK leader and state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being

President Droupadi Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Id-uz-Zuha

The President said, Id-uz-Zuha is the holy festival of love and sacrifice

President confers National Florence Nightingale Awards for 2022, 2023

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for 2022 and 2023 to nursing professionals at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Thursday. Thirty nursing professionals were given the prestigious award for their dedication, duty and service to the community. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State for Health S P Baghel and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Mandaviya briefed the president about the progress of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Abhiyan and expressed gratitude for her leadership in the countrywide campaign that has seen people from various walks of life and regions come forth in a spirit of enthusiasm and community service to support lakhs of tuberculosis patients. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the campaign and the "Ni-kshay Mitra" initiative in his "Mann Ki Baat" radio broadcast on June 18. "India has set a target of eradicating TB by 2025. Ni-kshay Mitra has taken charge of this movement against TB.

Others should learn sustainable development from tribal people: President

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said tribal people have made a lot of sacrifices to protect the motherland and its natural and cultural wealth, and urged others to learn from their example to achieve sustainable development. During an interaction with members of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu urged them to prioritise education, emphasising its utmost importance. In a statement, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said the president expressed happiness at meeting representatives from all 75 PVTGs together and acknowledged that many of them had ventured out of their villages for the first time. She highlighted the government's efforts to support the PVTG community such as the provision of reserved seats in Eklavya Model Residential Schools and the National Fellowship and Overseas Scholarship Scheme. President Murmu also encouraged PVTG women to avail benefit of various schemes, including the Tribal Women Empowerment Scheme. "The ..

Gyanvapi litigant seeks 'permission for euthanasia' from President Murmu

The main litigant in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex case has sought "permission for euthanasia" from President Droupadi Murmu, alleging that her fellow petitioners are spreading false propaganda to defame her. Rakhi Singh said claims that she is withdrawing from the case are false. Lawyer for the Hindu litigants in the case, Harishankar Jain, however, refuted Rakhi Singh's allegations, saying these were baseless. In her letter to President Murmu, Rakhi Singh said, "I request you to grant me permission of euthanasia and help me getting rid of the mental pain and agony so that I can get peace and sleep eternally." She also said she would wait for a reply till June 9 till 9 am and after that she would take her own decision. Rakhi Singh, along with four other Hindu women, had filed the case in the court of the civil judge (senior division), Varanasi, in August 2021, seeking the right to daily worship at the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. "Four of my ...