New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 through a voice vote.
The bills have been passed to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs), and the procedure for transaction of business by the Election Commission.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the new legislation has been necessitated as the earlier Act had certain weaknesses. He also rebutted Opposition allegations that the bill has been brought to circumvent a judgement of the Supreme Court related to the appointments of the CEC and the ECs.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitahraman on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha said the economy is moving in the right direction, and India has become the fastest-growing major economy in the world. Replying to a debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants, Finance Minister Sitharaman said fiscal prudence is the top priority of the government without compromising on social welfare.
The winter session of Parliament began on December 4 and will culminate on December 22.
Here are the updates for the day:
- 6.52 pm Lok Sabha will resume on Wednesday, December 13 at 11 am.
- 6.50 pm The Lok Sabha passes the Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 via voice vote.
- 6.13 pm Rajya Sabha proceedings will resume on Wednesday, December 13 at 11 am.
- 6.08 pm Rajya Sabha passes the Bill related to Election Commissioners.
- 5.50 pm Arjun Ram Meghwal concludes his speech in Rajya Sabha.
- 5.48 pm MoS Law and Justice clarifies that not anyone can be Election Commissioner but the specific qualification has been noted for the position.
- 5.45 pm MoS Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal starts his response to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha session.
- 5.35 pm Finance Minister Nirmala Sitahraman in the Lok Sabha said the economy is moving in the right direction, and India has become the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
- 5.25 pm BJP MP Ajay Pratap Singh in Rajya Sabha voices his support to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.
- 5.10 pm Congress MP Aimee Yajnik draws attention to the function of the Election Commission during the silent period which refers to 48 hours before any election when all campaign halted.
- 4.45 pm BJP MP K. Laxman voices his support to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.
- 4.20 pm Leader of the House Piyush Goyal refutes comments made by RJD MP A.D. Singh who said that there is an Emergency in the country which is worse than that of 1975.
- 4.08 pm BJP MP G.V.L. Narsimha Rao raises Points of Order and says words and phrases like 'kathputli and kabza' are objectionable. In chair currently, Jaya Bachchan objects to Rao and says he should have raised the Points of Order earlier.
- 4.01 pm The debate on the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 begins in Lok Sabha.
- 3.59 pm Parliamentary panel had made several suggestions, instead of moving different official amendments, new bills have been introduced. Lok Sabha to discuss bills to replace criminal laws on Thursday, voting on Friday, says Amit Shah in Lok Sabha.
- 3.55 pm Home Minister Amit Shah withdraws three bills to replace criminal laws from Lok Sabha, brings new legislations with suggestions of Parliament panel.
- 3.50 pm Chadha says that this Bill is disrespectful to the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India, and BJP Leader Lal Krishna Advani. Advani has previously said that the government should not be involved in the selection of CEC.
- 3.48 pm AAP MP Raghav Chadha asks does the BJP government not respect Supreme Court decisions.
- 3.25 pm AAP MP Raghav Chadha opposed the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.
- 3.12 pm AITC MP Jawhar Sircar says that Clause 8 of the Bill is more dangerous while giving his speech on The Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. "(It) says that any person can be appointed as Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner." What a dangerous precedent you are opening, Sircar says.
- 3.00 pm During the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says that fiscal prudence is the top priority of govt without compromising on social welfare.
- 2.50 pm BJP MP, Ghanshyam Tiwari in the Rajya Sabha says, the biggest challenge facing democracy and elections is dynastic politics.
- 2.40 pm Leader of opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised concern about per capita income vis-a-vis GDP being a sizeable variance.
- 2.15 pm
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala says the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill is going to fail in its true purpose. - 2 pm
Rajya Sabha resumes. - 1 pm
Rajya Sabha adjouned till 2 pm - 12.59 pm
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman says many states, including West Bengal did not submit AGS certificates, an action that creates problems regarding GST functionalities. - 12.54 pm
MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhry speaks about the effectiveness of the GST system, and says, it has come good for the people of the country - 12.43 pm
Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain wants to know if India still imports urea from China. - 12.40 pm
BJD MP Sasmit Patra wants to know the present action plan of the government for the Talcher fertilisers project. - 12.35 pm
BJP MP Irana Kadadi wants to know if the government has incentive plans for farmers who produce bio-fertilisers. - 12.30 pm
BJP MP Darshana Singh asks if the government has any specific plan to engage Ayurvedic practitioners to cure anaemia. - 12.26 pm
AAP MP Sandip Kumar Pathak seeks information about the diabetes prevention drive of the government. - 12.21 pm
Minister of Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar says the government is working right now under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat scheme.
- 12.12 am
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterway Sarbananda Sonowal says the government prioritises cruise tourism under PM Gati Sahkati - 12.01 pm
BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao Vishakhapatnam wants to know the time frame for launching domestic and international cruise operations. - 11.55 am
BJD MP Sulata Deo demands the release of funds for Chilika Lake conservation. - 11.51 am
BJP MP Sonal Mansingh says she expects more effort from the government to preserve intangible heritage like dance forms. - 11.48 am
JD(U) MP Aneel Prasad Hegde points out the 'policy vacuum' in digitisation in the agricultural sector. - 11.45 am
BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao alleges negligence of iron ore by the Congress government at Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant while it was in power. - 11.40 am
BJD MP Mamata Mohanta speaks on the importance of the conservation of the Santhali saree. - 11.38 am
BJP MP Ram Chander Jangra alleges AAP and Congress's apathy towards civic issues in Delhi. - 11.35 am
BJP MP Ashok Bajpai says the issue of human activities in catchment areas of rivers. He demands government action against the encroachment of catchment areas by settlers - 11.25 am
JD(U) MP Ram Nath Thakur demands gas cylinders price slash. He says the government must fix a common price for all states, - 11.17 am
Congress MP Priyanka Chaturvedi seeks strong action against Khalistani terrorists active in foreign countries such as the USA and Canada. - 11.12 am
TMC MP Samirul Islam speaks about migrant worker's plight in the country. He talks about discrimination against migrant workers, who are engaged in construction work in other states of the country. - 11. am
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin - 10.07 am
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the recent train accidents and their effects on the transportation system on Tuesday. He cited the Balasore train accident, the Falaknuma Express fire and the Bihar North East Express derailment to substantiate his views and said the Ministry of Railways should submit a report outlining the reasons behind these accidents.
