Parliament Monsoon session highlights: Delhi Ordinance Bill, 2023, passed in Lok Sabha

Reacting to the passage of the Delhi ordinance bill in Lok Sabha, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday accused prime minister Narendra Modi of ‘backstabbing’ the people of the capital. Read more

"Opposition was ashamed...They didn't have the courage to vote, so they didn't participate in voting. They didn't discuss nine Bills but they came to discuss this Bill to protect their alliance...They didn't oppose this Bill but walked out...Congress supported the Government, unannounced and didn't participate in voting. If you walk out, it means you support the Bill. Otherwise, you would have voted against it," said BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday suspended newly-elected MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sushil Kumar Rinku from the House for the rest of the monsoon session for unruly behaviour. His suspension came after he went to the House's Well and threw papers at the Chair during the discussion on the Delhi Ordinance Bill, 2023. Read more

After half-a-day of discussion, the Lok Sabha has passed the Government of NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, otherwise known as Delhi Ordinance Bill, in Lok Sabha.

"The opposition's priority is to save their alliance. The opposition is not worried about Manipur...Everyone is talking about the rights of a state. But which state? Delhi is not a state but a Union Territory...The Parliament has the right to make laws for Delhi," Union home minister Amit Shah said in response to discussion over Delhi Ordinance Bill.

The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, replaces the existing Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867.

The new law also seeks to do away with two provisions that required the publishers and printers to file a declaration before the district magistrate. It further seeks to do away with the penal provisions of the PRB Act which made improper declaration of information a punishable offence with a prison term of up to six months.

The new bill also provides for an appellate authority.

Currently, a person wanting to start a newspaper has to submit an application with the district collector, who sends it to the Registrar of Newspapers in India (RNI) to check for title availability.

The registration process moves forward only after the RNI conveys the availability of the title to the collector, who then administers the oath to the person keen on starting the newspaper according to provisions of the PRB Act.

The new bill also seeks to move this process of checking title availability online, thereby reducing the time required for registration of newspapers and periodicals significantly. (PTI)

With the Rajya Sabha witnessing an impasse over the Opposition MPs' demand on Manipur debate, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday that I.N.D.I.A. parties have offered a “middle path solution” to the government for uninterrupted discussion.

Taking to Twitter, Jairam Ramesh said, "INDIA parties have offered a middle path solution to the Leader of the House to break the logjam and get a discussion on Manipur going in an uninterrupted manner in the Rajya Sabha. Hope the Modi government agrees."

His remarks came soon after the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar convened a meeting of leaders at on Thursday for a solution to the impasse in the House. (ANI)

After introduction of The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that this Bill is a very significant milestone in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision which will protect the rights of all citizens.

Taking to Twitter Chandrasekhar said that "DPDPBill introduced in #Parliament is a very significant milestone in PM @narendramodi ji's vision of Global Standard Cyber Laws for India's $1T #DigitalEconomy and #IndiaTechade.

"@GoI_MeitY has developed this bill after extensive consultations which I personally led - with all stakeholders including #DigitalNagriks," he tweeted.

He further explained that "This new Bill after it is passed by Parliament, will protect the rights of ALL citizens, allow the innovation economy to expand and permit Govt's lawful n legitimate access in national security and emergencies like pandemics and earthquakes etc."

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 to provide a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals.

The Bill, which seeks amendment to the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, was passed by a voice vote as the Opposition staged a walkout from the House and did not participated in the debate.

Replying to the debate on the Bill, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Bill aims to create a transparent auction route for the allocation of mines.

The Bill also seeks to provide for the grant of production lease to the private sector only through auction by competitive bidding. It also provides for the grant of operating rights without competitive bidding to a government or a government company, or a corporation in the mineral-bearing areas reserved by the central government.

While defending the Delhi Ordinance Bill, Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi calls Arvind Kejriwal ‘1/4th CM’ and takes jibe against his government over recent flood-like situation among other issues. She also criticised the Delhi government over its expenditure in various ads, while justified why Centre's Bill is crucial.

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran was addressing the Lok Sabha in opposition to the Delhi Ordinance Bill, 2023, made a remark at Deputy Speaker Rajendra Agrawal after he was attempting to maintain the House's order. He urged DMK MP to conclude as his allotted time was over. To this, he said “don't control me”.

On Delhi ordinance bill, 2023, after Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury finished his address, Union minister Piyush Goyal sought opinion on the Bill from Opposition MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and other members from Delhi and Punjab. To this, Chowdhury told Goyal to not create a gap between them.

Responding to Shah's defence for Delhi ordinance bill, 2023, Adhir Chowdhury asked about the emergency to bring an ordinance and not a Bill in the Parliament with due process.

Responding to Union home minister Amit Shah's statement on Delhi ordinance bill, 2023, where he mentioned names of Jawaharlal Nehru along with other former senior leaders, largely from Congress, Senior Opposition leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Shah ‘praised Nehru and Congress’. To which, Shah responded that the only quoted the former leaders and not praised them.

Taking a jibe at Opposition over the recently formed INDIA bloc, Union minister Amit Shah said, “Make as many alliances as you want, Modi ji  will return to power again with absolute majority”. He also urged them to ‘think about Delhi and not about the alliance’.

Union home minister Amit Shah, while batting for Delhi ordinance bill, 2023, in Lok Sabha, said from Jawarharlal Nehru to Bhim Rao Ambedkar, several prominent leaders had earlier opposed giving Delhi a ‘full-state’ status.

Union home minister Amit Shah is speaking on Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. He talks about the National Capital's jurisdiction in making law.

Opposition in Lok Sabha urged in the House to send the Data Protection Bill, 2023, introduced today on the table of the House, to be sent to Standing Committee. 

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tabled the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill on Thursday.

Earlier, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Thursday asked how the Digital Data Protection Bill can be classified as a financial bill, and said it should be considered as a regular bill. The bill should again go to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, he said.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram later tweeted, “Just received a clarification that it’s not being brought in as Money Bill.”

The bill aims to make entities like internet companies, mobile apps, and business houses more accountable and answerable about collection, storage and processing of the data of citizens as part of Right to Privacy.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari says, “They (Central Govt) are ensuring that the Opposition cannot speak in the Parliament...What is the Opposition demanding? We are waiting to hear 'Manipur' from PM Modis's mouth. How can he do this?... If he has some attachment and respect towards women in the country then PM Modi should not just speak in Parliament but rather ask for cooperation from all...”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “The opposition is extremely keen on debate (over Manipur). We have said this clearly and repeatedly. The INDIA bloc took a united position that it (the debate in Parliament) must have the PM because there is no more serious issue in the country today than Manipur.”

Over the ongoing deadlock in Parliament, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday told Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar that when he met the chairman on Wednesday, the latter was angry. "I am a married man for over 45 years. Believe me, sir, I am never angry. Mr Chidambaram, a very distinguished senior advocate, will know as senior advocates we have no right to show anger at least to the authority. You are an authority, sir. I am never angry, please modify," Dhankhar said in a jestful reply. Read more

Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi are meeting opposition leaders in the chamber of LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament to end the logjam in Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar convened meeting of leaders at 1 pm on Thursday for a solution to the impasse in the House.

Opposition to skip meeting called by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to end logjam in the House, reports PTI

"Amendments to Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 are basically meant for giving blanket exemptions. The rights of tribals and other forest dwellers have been eliminated. Forests of India are being handed over to corporates," says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat.