Monday, 23 December 2024
Monday, 23 December 2024
In a landmark move, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced three bills in Lok Sabha- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Bill, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) Bill, 2023 that will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively. He asserted the proposed laws will transform the country's criminal justice system and bring the spirit to protect the rights of the Indian citizen at the centre stage.
The BNS Bill has provisions that seek to repeal sedition and award maximum capital punishment for crimes such as mob lynching and rape of minors. It also lists new offences such as acts of secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities, separatist activities or endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India.
Stepping up the attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Manipur violence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said it does not behove the Indian Prime Minister to laugh and crack jokes in Parliament when the state has been "on fire" for the past four months.
Gandhi's strong attack came a day after Modi slammed the opposition in his over two-hour reply to the motion of no-confidence against his government in Lok Sabha. Gandhi said his remarks that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had "murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur" were not hollow words as he had for the first time in his 19 years in politics been told in a state that if he takes a person from one community in his security detail to the area of another community, they will shoot that security personnel.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha was on Friday suspended from Rajya Sabha for "gross violation of rules, misconduct, defiant attitude and contemptuous conduct", pending a report by the privileges committee.
His suspension followed a motion moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal who sought action against the AAP leader for including names of some members of the Upper House without their consent in a proposed select committee for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The House also approved the continuation of suspension of senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh from the House, pending the privileges committee report.
Opposition parties of the INDIA alliance boycotted Lok Sabha proceedings on Friday to protest the suspension of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from the House. They also decided not to attend the customary tea to be hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the conclusion of the Monsoon session of Parliament on Friday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Chowdhury's suspension, saying he disturbed the House whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministers spoke or a debate was going on. The INDIA bloc members later marched to the statue of B R Ambedkar in the Parliament complex as a mark of protest. Some of them raised slogans against Chowdhury's suspension and demanded that it be revoked.
Parliament on Friday approved the amendments to the Central and Integrated GST laws to levy 28 per cent tax on the full face value of bets in online gaming, casinos and horse race clubs. The Lok Sabha earlier in the day approved the two money bills -- The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the bills in both the Houses. The amendments will also provide for blocking access to online gaming platforms located overseas in case of failure to comply with registration and tax payment provisions.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday stayed the much-anticipated Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections slated for Saturday till further orders following a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA). The order came following a petition filed by the HWA, challenging the move to allow Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association to cast votes in the WFI polls.
Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association further claimed that the HWA has no business to participate in the election process because it is not affiliated with the WFI.
'Har Ghar Tiranga' bike rally of MPs in Delhi began from Pragati Maidan and culminated at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium after passing through the India Gate circle. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said India's rise is "unstoppable" as he flagged off the rally.
Under the aegis of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), 'Har Ghar Tiranga' will be celebrated across the nation from August 13 to 15 during which people will be encouraged to hoist the national flag at their homes, the Union culture ministry said on Thursday. AKAM is an ongoing celebration to commemorate 75 years of India's independence. The initiative is aimed at bringing in focus on the freedom struggle, and the milestones this nation has achieved, the ministry said.
A sub-adult tiger died on Friday after being hit by a car in Navegaon-Nagzira corridor of Maharashtra's Gondia district, a senior forest official said. The tiger, aged around two years, was hit by a four-wheeler while crossing the road at Murdoli forest on Kohmara-Gondia road around 10 pm on Thursday, said Pramod Panchbhai, deputy conservator of forest (DCF) Gondia division.
The accident has once again raised the need for having early mitigation measures. The forest department should take up the issue on priority and a safe underpass passage should be constructed as per the norms, Honourary Wildlife Warden Sawan Bahekar said.
A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off Friday on Russia's first moon mission in nearly 50 years, racing to land on Earth's satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft. The launch from Russia's Vostochny spaceport in the Far East of the Luna-25 craft to the moon is Russia's first since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union.
The spaceport is a pet project of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is key to his efforts to make Russia a space superpower and move Russian launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Luna-25 is to take samples of moon rock and dust.
The United Kingdom's Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat has announced a new funding of 95,000 pound (around Rs 1 crore) to enhance Britain's capability to tackle "pro-Khalistan extremism". The announcement on the new funding comes amid growing concerns in India over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in the UK.
New Delhi had reacted sharply after an attack by some Khalistani elements on the Indian High Commission in London in March. British officials maintained that the security of the Indian High Commission in London and its staff, are of utmost importance to the UK government.
