Parliament highlights: Three bills to replace colonial-era criminal laws passed in RS; both Houses adjourned sine dieThe Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 was passed in Lok Sabha today. Meanwhile, three more Congress MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha, before the lower House getting adjourned sine die. Also, the Parliament passed three bills to replace the colonial-era criminal laws. Winter Session ends. Here are the highlights from today's proceedings. 
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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is to move the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha today
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is to move the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha
GST Act amendments to strengthen tribunals passed by Parliament
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to increase the upper age limit of president and members of the GST Appellate Tribunal and allows advocates with 10 years of experience to be eligible to become a member of the tribunal. The bill had already been cleared by Lok Sabha.
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Bills to replace criminal laws taken up for discussion in Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha Tuesday took up three bills that seek to replace the existing criminal laws of the country, with some MPs saying these will provide justice rather than punishment, and others pointing to "loopholes" in the proposed legislations that they claimed would give discretionary powers to enforcement agencies.
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Suspended MPs to march towards Vijay Chowk from Parliament to protest the murder of Parliamentary Democracy in the country
The opportunity to replace and redraft the laws has been wasted: P Chidambaram on new criminal bills
Update on Parliament security breach
Confrontation of all six accused was done yesterday, 20th December to corroborate whether the sequence of events shared by each of them matches. Accused Manoranjan, Amol, Sagar and Neelam’s seven-day custody expires today All 6 were kept at five different units of Delhi Police’s Special Cell where they underwent sustained interrogation. Yesterday they were handed over to CIU (Counter Intelligence Unit) office of Special Cell, the unit investigating the matter, where they faced the joint interrogation.
After meeting Kharge, Cong leaders will hold protest march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk: K Suresh, Congress Chief Whip in Lok Sabha
Opposition MPs march to Vijay Chowk from Parliament to protest against suspension of MPs and demand a statement by Amit Shah on Parliament security breach
Lok Sabha convenes for the day
Rajya Sabha convenes for the day
Question hour ongoing in Lok Sabha, papers being laid on table in Rajya Sabha
Amid 'tanashahi band karo' slogans in Lok Sabha, Questions on NH-48 being raided in the House
Statements by ministers being heard in the Rajya Sabha
Matters being raised with the permission of Chair in the Rajya Sabha
Sushil Kumar Modi raises the issue of deep fakes and misuse in AI in the Rajya Sabha. Says there are apps these days that target women and circulate deep fake videos on social media
Sushil Kumar Modi seeks the detection and removal of such videos from social media. He says the misinformation that is circulating is making it difficult for common people
BJP's Anil Baluni talks about the development of Uttarakhand's Lansdowne in Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha: BJD's Sulata Deo talks about the Nirbhaya Fund. Says attention must be given to dearth of money and its utilization. The flow of the fund is only there in Gujarat but not in Odisha and other states.
Rajya Sabha: BJP's Vijay Pal Singh Tomar says that farmers are getting only 3L/ year now. Calls for an increase in the farmer credit card amount.
Lok Sabha: BJP's Jugal Kishor asks if there are any redevelopment plans for the parks around Jammu. Hardeep Singh Puri responds, says all the information regarding the same is present in a public portal and all members have been provided with the login. 14 projects and parks and been completed in J&K.
Lok Sabha: BJP's Manoj Tiwari asks if the govt will implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Delhi and Kolkata. Hardeep Singh Puri responds: Ayushman Bharat Yojana is not implemented by my ministry but by the health ministry. I ask Manoj ji to please sit with me and let us also include Kejriwal ji in this conversation and discuss how the CMs of Delhi and Bengal can implement this
Lok Sabha: Bhawana Gawali asks about Amrut Yojna and if the Centre is going to probe discrepancies that take place.
Rajya Sabha: Dr Sasmit Patra asks about Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Says Odisha required over 15L houses and only 8L have been sanctioned. Says Naveen Patnaik has written to Centre about the matter. In 2019 when the awas portal was open for inputs, but over 4.5 years the need for adding more beneficiaries have increased. Urges govt to look into the remaining 7L houses that need to be sanctioned under PMAY.
Rajya Sabha: Issue of farmer suicides raised by Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar
Rajya Sabha: Dr Amar Parnaik raises the issue of pollution and asks what is the plan to shift from PM 2.5 pathway.
Rajya Sabha: Ram Chander asks if there is any plan to stop the manufcature of Polyethylene calling it the most dangerous component of pollution
Rajya Sabha: Dhananjay Bhimrao Mahadik asks what are the steps that the Centre will take for the protection of journalists. Anurag Thakur responds: Journalists in West Bengal feel most scared and it is the concern of the state to protect their journalists. Indian govt is doing its job but the West Bengal govt is stopping our steps.
This is Opposition-mukt Parliament. It is almost like a monarchy: CPI(M) MP John Brittas
On Lok Sabha passing 3 criminal laws, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, "...I find this truly a moment for writing obituaries for parliamentary democracy in our country."
All we want is a statement from the Home Minister in the presence of the Prime Minister about the events which happened on December 13: Karti Chidambaram
On suspension of 143 Opposition MPs, NCP MP Supriya Sule says, "This is murder of democracy. It looks like there is Emergency in the country."
NCP MP Supriya Sule.
Credit: PTI Photo
There was just one demand, a statement from the Government side on how did they (Parliament security breach accused) come and who issued them passes. This is the right of the Parliament..., says Sharad Pawar on the suspension of over 140 MPs
The PM is speaking everywhere including Varanasi but not in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on (Parliament security breach incident). We condemn it: Mallikarjun Kharge
The Congress leader, Mallikarjun Kharge.
LoP Rajya Sabha & Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "The PM is speaking everywhere including Varanasi but not in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on (Parliament security breach incident). We condemn it. This is also a (breach of) privilege case due to the violation of rules. The ruling party people are disturbing the Parliament proceedings." Yesterday, it was the first time that the Parliamentary Affairs minister along with 120 MPs was standing in Rajya Sabha and the MPs were shouting slogans. This shows they don't have faith in democracy."
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with suspended opposition MPs during a protest over their suspension at Mahatma Gandhi statue amid the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Credit: PTI Photo
Discussion over Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill taking place in the Lok Sabha
The Rajya Sabha on December 12 passed the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, the legislation that will guide the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Election Commissioners (EC) in future.
Proximity & faithfulness to govt equals qualification in EC, CEC Bill, says Owaisi
Law Commission report had said that appointment of all CEC or EC should be made by Prez: Owaisi
This Bill goes against what our constitution says. Why are you degrading it? Earlier salaries were set by the SC, now why the govt? This is wrong for our democracy, it questions the legitimacy of our democracy and constitution: Owaisi
Telecommunication Bill 2023 being discussed in the Rajya Sabha
BJD's Amar Patnaik calls the Telecommunication Bill
While anonymity is important, it cannot be absolute: BJD's Amar Patnaik on Telecommunication Bill
‘The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023’ passed in Lok Sabha.
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 being discussed in the Lok Sabha
BJP protests across country against VP Dhankhar's mimicry by Oppn
Rajya Sabha passes Telecommunications Bill, 2023
Discussion on Criminal Law Bills under way in Rajya Sabha
Sujeet Kumar of the BJD stands in support of the criminal bills in the Rajya Sabha
Sujeet Kumar suggests removal of the multiple FIR provision, gives example of 'harassment' faced by Nupur Sharma
Sujeet Kumar suggests making the offence of rape 'gender neutral', says men are raped as well, especially in the prisons
Sujeet Kumar calls the three bill 'extremely timely' and hopes that good sense will prevail
Three more Congress MPs including DK Suresh, Nakul Nath and Deepak Baij suspended from the Lok Sabha for "unruly behaviour".
Union Minister Anurag Thakur while talking about The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 said that this bill would give more opportunities and make the process simpler for those who want to start a press.
"We have seen both positives and negatives of social media. While there are some concerns over social media, one good thing about it is social media facilitated the spread of news from small places as well, which otherwise do not witness much coverage in traditional media," says Thakur.
PM Modi arrives at Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha passes The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, which was passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha, will make the registration of periodicals a one-step process as against the eight-step process in the archaic law. The bill replaces the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867.
Lok Sabha adjourned sine die.
Discussions on the three bills to revamp criminal laws in Rajya Sabha under way. The three bills were passed in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
BJD leader Sasmit Patra while supporting the three bills on criminal laws raised question on the judiciary's power on striking down certain laws passed in the Parliament.
Those responsible for protecting MPs failed in their constitutional duties: Kharge on suspension of Oppn members from Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha.
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with suspended opposition MPs during a protest over their suspension at Mahatma Gandhi statue amid the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo