Ambedkar’s proposal, Durgabai’s amendment: How Constituent Assembly set age criteria for legislators
A Rajya Sabha committee has proposed that the minimum age to contest national and state elections be reduced from 25 to 18 years, aligning it with the voting age. Calling the current criteria outdated, the committee argued that legislative bodies could benefit from a wider range of perspectives. In its report submitted on Friday, “Specific Aspects Of Election Process And Their Reform”, the committee noted that though India’s median age is 29 years and eight months, only 2.2% of MPs in the current Lok Sabha are under the age of 30. Nearly half of the Lok Sabha members are 55 years or older. Articles 84 and 174 of the Constitution set the minimum age for members of the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies at 25, and for members of the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils at 30 years. In the USA, too, members of the House of Representatives must be at least 25 years old but in the UK, Canada, and Australia the minimum age for the Lower House is 18.
Also read:
- ‘No delay as yet… but to not reinstate Rahul henceforth would show a lack of grace… Everything is not written in rules’: Abhishek Singhvi
- BJP-BJD Parliament goodwill carries over to Odisha, Amit Shah hails Naveen Patnaik
- As Oppn alliance takes form, JD(U) leader comes out with a book showcasing Nitish Kumar’s ‘national role’
The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day. The session will now resume at 11 am on August 8 (Tuesday).
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, by voice vote.
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, in an address, following the passage of the Delhi services Bill by Rajya Sabha, said, "They have made a law like that in 1935 where the people of Delhi will choose their government but that government will not have the power to do any work. The votes of the people of Delhi no longer have any value; they have elected a government but that government has no powers anymore."
"The Supreme Court had, on May 11, given a verdict where it said India is a democracy; in this democracy, people choose their government and this government should have the power to work. Within a week, the Prime Minister overturned the SC's judgment and brought in an ordinance. Today the Parliament has made this a law. This law says that no matter which government the people of Delhi elect, it will be run by the L-G," Kejriwal said.
"From this, it is evident that PM Modi is saying that he does not even listen to the Supreme Court. What future will befall a country whose Prime Minister does not listen to the apex court of the land. He says if I don't like the SC's order, I will bring in a law to overturn it," Kejriwal added.
Calling it to have rendered the people of Delhi helpless, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, after the passage of the Delhi services Bill by the Rajya Sabha, said, "Today proved to be a black day for Democracy in India. In Parliament, a Bill to enslave the people of Delhi has been passed."
"In 1935, the British had enacted a law called the Government of India Act; which basically stated that elections will take place in India but the elected representatives will not have the power to do anything. When we got independence, we wrote in our Constitution that elections will be held, the people who are elected will have the power to work for the people who have elected them. Today, after 75 years of independence, Prime Minister Modi snatched the freedom of the people of Delhi," Kejriwal said in an address.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Virendra Sachdeva, welcoming the passage of the Delhi services Bill by the Rajya Sabha, asserting that the "passage of the Bill marks the end of anarchic governance going on in Delhi since 2015," said that the day "will become the date in Delhi's history as the day its administration will run as per the spirit of the constitution."
"The constitution had visioned Delhi as a national capital and Union Territory but unfortunately Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government, by citing its political numbers, tried to violate the administrative protocol with which Delhi's administration was running for the last 7 decades," Sachdeva said.
"Whether it be incidents of misbehaviour with the erstwhile Chief Secretary in 2018 or two senior women IAS thereafter or the incidents of trying to arbitrarily transfer Delhi's Services Secretary and Vigilance Secretary, and the midnight breaking of the locks of the Secretary of Vigilance's office, all have contributed in forcing the Centre to bring the Bill," Sachdeva added.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, after witnessing more than six hours of debate followed by voting through slips.
While 131 MPs voted in the favour of the Bill, 102 MPs opposed it.
During a session in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Union Home Minister targeted the Congress party, invoking the period of Emergency in India's history.
He highlighted that the situation was so severe during the Emergency that even leading newspapers like The Indian Express had to resort to publishing blank editorials as a form of protest.
The Minister's remarks came in the midst of a debate over the Delhi Services Bill, which sparked heated arguments among the members. The session underscored the ongoing political discourse and disagreements surrounding the legislative proposal.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh Monday said that 'four MPs have written to me that no consent has been given by them and it will be enquired.'
AIADMK MP Dr. M. Thambidurai also claimed that he had not signed on paper and this is a matter of privilege, news agency ANI reported.
Two members — BJD MP Sasmit Patra and BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi — are saying that they have not signed the motion to be part of select committee on Delhi services Bill that was moved by Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha in the House, Amit Shah told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
"Now it is a matter of investigation how the motion was signed," Shah added.
Following more than six-hours of discussion, voting over the Delhi services Bill is underway in the Rajya Sabha.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday rejected the Opposition's motion to send the Delhi services bill to select Committee of House, by voice vote.
Taking a swipe at Opposition alliance INDIA, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Monday, sai, "It won't matter even if more parties join INDIA bloc, Narendra Modi will again become PM in 2024."
'I am ready to discuss [the Manipur issue] in Parliament on August 11, if Mallikarjun Kharge agrees to it,' Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha during a debate on Delhi services Bill on Monday.
'I am ready to answer all their questions,' Shah said, adding that the Opposition is running away from discussion on Manipur violence issue.
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, engaging in a debate on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha, claimed that Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal would "quit the Opposition alliance INDIA if the Bill is passed by the House."
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, engaging in a debate on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha, said that the Bill has been brought by the Centre because Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does not adhere to the rules.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government does not conduct Delhi Cabinet meetings regularly, Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah said on Monday in the Rajya Sabha.
Shah said that the Delhi government has "held only 6 in 2022, including 3 on budget, and only 2 in 2023 so far."
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, responding to the debate on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha alleged that the the government led by Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi transferred officers in the Vigilance department as the files in the liquor scam case were with it.
'So much haste was shown concerning the vigilance department by Delhi government because it had files related to 'excise policy scam' and 'sheesh-mahal',' Shah said.
After Supreme Court ruling, the AAP government had ordered immediate transfers in vigilance dept as it was probing scams, including in CM house renovation, Shah added.
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, responding to questions that arose during a discussion on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha, asserting that the Bill has "not been brought to impose emergency or take away the rights of the people, said that "we have brought services bill to safeguard rights of people of Delhi."
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, responding to questions that arose during a discussion on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha, said the Congress party has 'no right to speak on democracy.'
Shah added that the 'Congress is opposing the Bill only to appease Aam Aadmi Party.'
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah on Monday, responding to questions that arose during a discussion on the Delhi services Bill in Rajya Sabha, said, "We are not bringing Constitutional amendments for Emergency."
He also said that the Congress government amended the Constitution giving Parliament the powers to frame laws for Delhi on all subjects, including services.
Former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi on Monday said the bill to replace an ordinance for handling the transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government is "perfectly, legitimately valid".
Read the full story here.
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, speaking in Rajya Sabha on the Delhi services Bill, said that the Bill was 'brought not to usurp powers of Delhi govt, but to stop encroachment on Centre's right by it.'
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, speaking in Rajya Sabha on the Delhi services Bill, said, "I want to assure the House that aim of the Delhi services bill is to provide corruption-free governance in Delhi."
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, leading the Chair in the Rajya Sabha, warned TMC MP Derek O'Brien of not "engaging in theatrics" after the latter called the Central government having "three most important ministers — the PM, the HM and the WM. WM is not here today — the Washing Machine."
"You are ridiculing constitutional functionaries by calling them 'washing machines'," Dhankhar said, adding that he should keep his address confined to the subject and follow the rules.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien, speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the Delhi services Bill, said, "Mr Narendra Modi is the child of federalism. Why would a child of federalism mutilate federalism? Why would a child of federalism come to Parliament and in the last three years, ensure that about one-third of the Bills passed here in the Parliament is anti-federal?"
"Mr Modi and his Cabinet believes in transactional federalism... We will oppose the Bill whether you give the Rs 12,000 crore which you owe us ... Transactional federalism will not work," the TMC leader added.
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, after discussion.
The House was adjourned for the day, after the passage of the Bill. It will now resume at 11 am on August 8.
Opposition alliance INDIA MPs Jaya Bachchan (from Samajwadi Party), Priyanka Chaturvedi (from Shiv Sena -UBT), Vandana Chavan (from Nationalist Congress Party), Sushmita Dev (from Trinamool Congress) on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha as former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, accused in sexual harassment case, was called to speak during a discussion on the Delhi services Bill.
The Supreme Court in 2021 had closed the case it had initiated in 2019 in the wake of sexual harassment charges against Gogoi.
Two days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a criminal defamation case, the Lok Sabha Secretariat Monday cleared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s return to Parliament.
With his status as Wayanad MP formally restored, what are the perks that will be restored for Rahul? What happens next in the case?
The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday for consideration and passage.
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Mediation Bill, 2023, which requires individuals to try to settle civil or commercial disputes through mediation before approaching any court or tribunal.
(Source: PRS Legislative Research website)
Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of Law and Justice, on Monday introduced the Mediation Bill, 2023, for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to amend registration under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, which is mandatory to practice pharmacy in India.
(Source: PRS Legislative Research website)
The Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Monday introduced the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill, 2023, which seeks to establish the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF).
The Bill repeals the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008 and dissolves the existing Science and Engineering Research Board, according to PRS Legislative Research website.
The NRF will promote, fund, and mentor scientific research in higher education institutions across the country. It will forge collaborations among the industry, academia, government departments, and research institutions. It will create an interface mechanism for participation and contribution of industries and state governments in addition to the scientific and line ministries.
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) MP V. Vijayasai Reddy, while speaking in support of the Delhi services Bill in the Rajya Sabha, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said, "Delhi does not belong to AAP alone, it belongs to all the citizens of this country."
He also called the AAP an 'Absolutely Anarchy Party'.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday by a voice vote. The Bill has retained the contents of the original version of the legislation proposed last November, including those that were red-flagged by privacy experts, such as exemptions for the Centre.
In its new avatar, the proposed law has also accorded virtual censorship powers to the Centre. Next, the Bill will have to be passed by the Rajya Sabha before it becomes law.
What are the concerns around the Bill? What is says about privacy, Centre's powers, right to information? We explain.
Calling the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) equidistant from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, BJD leader Dr Sasmit Patra said, "our stand today does not change anything in that regard."
"The BJD is in favour of this Bill because it supports the constitutional standpoint of this Bill, and the Parliament's power to enact legislations..."
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, as the House took up a discussion on the Delhi services Bill, called the Bill 'unconstitutional' and 'illegal'. Chadha asserted that the Bill will "create an administrative logjam".
Minister of State for the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Friday introduced the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill, 2023 for consideration in the Lok Sabha.
Introducing the Bill in the House, Singh said, 'Those who have planned to skip the proceedings today will regret it later since this Bill is being brought in to the Parliament for discussion for the first time in 75 years, and I don't think this kind of Bill will be tabled in the next 75 years. It is history in making.'
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 amid sloganeering by Opposition parties over Manipur violence issue.
The amendments moved by the Opposition were defeated by a voice vote.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, introducing the Bill in the House, said that Opposition members had little concern for issues such as public welfare and the protection of people's personal data, and hence, they were raising slogans. He also urged the House to pass the bill unanimously.
The Bill aims to protect the privacy of Indian citizens while proposing a penalty of up to Rs 250 crore on entities for misusing or failing to protect the digital data of individuals. It also consists of provisions to curb the misuse of individuals' data by online platforms.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised objections over allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey in Lok Sabha.
Chowdhury stated that the day Rahul Gandhi came back to the House, such cheap allegations were made against him.
Dubey alleged that there were links between the Congress party and China. He referred to a recent investigation by The New York Times, which has made claims about Chinese government spreading its propaganda globally through US millionaire Neville Roy Singham.
With the Rajya Sabha taking up a discussion on the Delhi services Bill, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi called the Bill “completely undemocratic”. He stated that the Bill does not offer even a “token diarchy of powers between the chief minister and the lieutenant governor”. He added that the Bill turns civil services into “dictatorial civil services".
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha Member Sushil Modi said that the Congress leader is still not "blame free".
"He (Rahul Gandhi) is still not 'blame free', only his conviction has been stayed. His appeal is still pending in court...This is a common procedure...The Supreme Court has also said that 'it (Rahul Gandhi's comment) was not in good taste'. The court has made such strong remarks about Rahul Gandhi...The restoration of membership will not affect the health of Congress," he said.
After the Lok Sabha secretariat on Monday restored Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s membership as an MP in the Lower House, the Congress party, in a tweet, called the reinstatement a “victory of love against hate.”
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor welcomed the development, calling it a “victory for justice and our democracy”.
“With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi’s reinstatement,” Tharoor wrote in a tweet. “He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad,” he added.
Read more reactions here
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as Lok Sabha MP on Monday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "This is the victory of truth. People want to hear Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha..."
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Monday welcomed Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as the Lok Sabha member and said everyone needs to remember Gandhi's mantra of - "don't be afraid".
“I welcome the decision to restore the Lok Sabha membership of Rahul Gandhi. Now, we will again hear in Parliament that lion's roar which gives fearlessness to the public and creates fear among the opponents of democracy,” Nath tweeted.
"We all have to remember only one mantra of Rahul ji – don't be afraid,” the senior Congress leader added. (PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was reinstated as a Lok Sabha MP today, paid tribute at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises before attending the House proceedings.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday, shortly after reconvening at noon. The House saw ruckus, as BJP discussed the NewsClick controversy.
The noon session also saw the return of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as MP from Wayanad, hours after the Lok Sabha Secretariat reinstated him, following a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case by the Supreme Court.
Opposition bloc INDIA's MPs raised slogans like 'Rahul Gandhi aage badho, hum tumhare saath hain,' after the Congress leader's reinstatement as Lok Sabha MP on Monday.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was reinstated as a Lok Sabha MP on Monday, removed "'Dis'Qualified" from his Twitter bio. The updated version reads: "This is the official account of Rahul Gandhi | Member of the Indian National Congress | Member of Parliament"
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli Sonia Gandhi arrived at the Parliament, for the ongoing Monsoon session.
Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP, Karti Chidambaram said that this would "strengthen our ranks".
"No-confidence motion is coming up tomorrow, this will bolster our arguments on why this government has lost the confidence of India. I'm absolutely certain that he will participate in the no-confidence motion," he told reporters.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned amid ruckus and sloganeering over the Manipur issue on Monday. It will meet at 2 pm now.
The suspension of Congress MP Rajani Patil from Rajya Sabha was revoked on Monday.
Patil was suspended from Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session for videographing the proceedings of the House, leading to its dissemination on social media platforms.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon
Speaking to reporters after the reinstatement of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha MP, Union minister Pralhad Joshi said that Congress was "displaying stupidity". "The legal process has taken as much time as it takes. This process has been managed with complete transparency," he said.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad in Kerala, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote, "It brings relief to the people of India, and especially to Wayanad."
He added, "Whatever time is left of their tenure, BJP and Modi Govt should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating Democracy by targeting opposition leaders."