SAKTHI BOOKS CURRENT EVENTS

Parliament

SC demands new law to stop lynching

India’s highest court has asked the government to enact a new law to deal with an increase in mob violence and lynchings. Supreme Court recommended Parliament to create a new penal provision to punish the offenders and stem the mob-related violence. The direction was given by three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and ordered parliament to decide within six months.

Portugal approves new gender change law

The Portuguese parliament approved a law that will allow citizens to change their gender and name from the age of 16 without a medical report showing “identity disruption”. Portugal joins Denmark, Malta, Sweden, Ireland and Norway to become “the sixth European country to grant the right to self-determination of transgender identity.

CRPF inks MoU with IRCTC

CRPF signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IRCTC to usher in the easy & fast e-booking of railway tickets system. The e-ticketing will replace the earlier system of railway warrant which was cumbersome and is in line with the e-governance policy of the government. The CRPF is the paramilitary force that was raised in 1939 to handle internal security issues & anti-Naxal missions.

5 new languages for Rajya Sabha members

Members of the Rajya Sabha can now speak in any of the 22 Scheduled Languages from the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 18th, 2018. The simultaneous interpretation facility has been added in 5 more languages – Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Santhali & Sindhi. Of the 22 scheduled languages, Rajya Sabha had earlier established simultaneous interpretation service for 12 languages.

India to operate ‘World’s Emptiest Airport’

Indian Civil Aviation Ministry has communicated Sri Lankan Parliament about operating it’s lost making Mattala Rajapaksa International airport in Hambantota. The airport is named after former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is dubbed as ‘world’s emptiest airport’ due to lack of flights. The final terms of the agreement are yet to be decided as Sri Lanka.

Israel enacted a new law

Israel government enacted a new law which will financially penalize the Palestinian Authority for paying stipends to the Palestinians killed or jailed by Israel. Out of 120 seats in the Parliament, 87-15 voted in favor of this legislation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had repeatedly demanded to stop the Palestinians from paying stipends to the prisoners and their families.

July 1 to be celebrated as ‘GST Day

The government will celebrate July 1, 2018, as ‘GST Day’ to mark the first anniversary of the new indirect tax regime. Goods and Services Tax was rolled out in the intervening night of June 30 and July 1, 2017, in a ceremony held in the Central Hall of Parliament. GST binds India into an Economic Union, promotes ‘Make in India’ and has improved ‘Ease of Doing Business.

Govt proposes to replace UGC

Government has unveiled draft of a bill to replace higher education regulator University Grants Commission with a Higher Education Commission. The commission will not have grant-making authority, will promote reduced inspection system & will focus on quality outcome at universities & colleges. It will be applicable to all higher education institutions established under any act of Parliament.

Yoga Day celebrated in Australian Parliament

A yoga session was organised in the Australian Parliament on Monday for the first time, with over 50 people performing various asanas in the federal legislature. This comes ahead of the fourth International Day of Yoga on June 21. Organisers of the session claimed it was the first time that the International Yoga Day was celebrated in any Parliament.

Nepal to announce first federal budget

29 : Nepal’s Finance Minister will present the first federal budget of the Himalayan nation after completing the three-tier elections held simultaneously in the year of 2017. The Government of Nepal is expected to unveil the budget of about 16 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year. The Constitution of Nepal mandates the government to unveil the budget in a joint meeting of federal parliaments.

Russia confirms Dmitry Medvedev as its PM

The Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) has given its mandate to Dmitry Medvedev for a new term as the Prime Minister. Medvedev’s candidature for the Prime Minister’s seat was proposed by President Vladimir Putin after the inauguration of his fourth term as Russia’s President. Under Russia’s Constitution, the government is obliged to resign when a new presidential term begins.

Lebanon holds maiden parliamentary elections

Polling has begun across Lebanon, where voters are going to elect their parliament for first time in 9 yrs. Last elections in the country were held in 2009, for what was supposed to be a 4 yr term. But parliament extended its term twice due to instability in neighbouring Syria. Lebanon has one of the world’s highest debt-to-GDP ratios & IMF has warned its fiscal trajectory is unsustainable.

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament names new PM

Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament has named Mukhammedkaliy Abylgaziyev as the new Prime Minister.Abylgaziyev, previously chief of staff in President Sooronbai Jeenbekov’s office, replaced Sapar Isakov whose cabinet lost a no-confidence vote. The govt reshuffle completes a series of moves taken by Jeenbekov since he came to power to remove the appointees of his predecessor, Almazbek Atambayev.

Win Myint elected new Myanmar president

Myanmar‘s parliament has elected Win Myint as the country‘s next President. Win Myint has been a speaker in the lower house since 2012. Myanmar‘s President is elected by a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament from among the country‘s three Vice- Presidents, representing respectively the Lower House, the Upper House and the military.

Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018

Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will inaugurate the Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018, on March 14, organised by Ashden India Collective (AIC) in alliance with Climate Parliament. ?Delhi Energy Dialogue? is an initiative to promote sustainable solutions for better lives. Established in 2010, AIC helps to increase access to energy for India‘s rural poor.

Maldives approved anti-defection bill

The Maldives Parliament has approved the anti-defection bill with retrospective effect amidst the boycott by opposition MPs. According to the bill, MPs elected on political party tickets will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties. The bill will give powers to the election commission to unseat MPs in case of defections.

Khadi industry lost 7 lakh jobs

The number of people employed in the Khadi sector fell from 11.6 lakh to 4.6 lakh in the last two financial years, the government informed the parliament. However, the production of Khadi increased by 31.6% and sales grew by 33% during the period. Notably, 3.2 lakh jobs were lost in the central zone comprising UP, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

All 650 IPPB branches by April, says Sinha

The government aims to set up all 650 India Post Payments Bank branches by April this year, communications minister Manoj Sinha informed Parliament on Wednesday. ?India Post Payments Bank aims to have a pan-India reach (650 branches co-located at District Headquarter Post Offices) by April 2018. The postal department has already set up two branches on January 30, 2017, in Raipur and Ranchi.

Shatrughan won lifetime achievement award

Shatrughan Sinha has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the fields of arts and politics. He was awarded at a ceremony in the UK‘s Parliament complex in London. The annual =Political and Public Life Awards‘, now in its 12th year, recognize individuals who have made a significant impact on public life or made a difference in their local communities.

Office of Missing Persons: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has appointed commissioners to a special panel tasked with investigating war-era disappearances. The Office of Missing Persons was officially launched by President Maithripala Sirisena. The country‘s Parliament agreed two years ago to the first steps toward reconciling its war-era past tracing about 20,000 people who went missing during 37 years of fighting.

CPC clears the decks for third term for Xi

China cleared the decks for President Xi Jinping’s 3rd consecutive term in office, ahead of a crucial session of parliament next month.Communist Party of China proposed that the President and the Vice-President will not be constitutionally restricted to 2 consecutive terms in office.This, in effect, means that Mr. Xi, who is serving his 2nd consecutive 5-year term, can continue beyond 2023

Maldives extends State of Emergency

Maldives Parliament has approved extension of State of Emergency by 30 days, a day after President Yameen sought extension citing threat to national security. Opposition leaders boycotted, calling the extension illegal & unconstitutional Maldives is facing political unrest since President Yameen imposed emergency after refusing to implement a SC order of freeing imprisoned opposition leaders

Govt gives nod to Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill

Cabinet has given its nod to introduce Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill in the parliament.Bill aims to amend Sec 85 (b) of the Chit Funds Act, 1982 to remove ceiling of Rs 100. It also aims at hiking ceiling of foreman’s commission from a max of 5% to 7%. Chit business will be required to use the word Fraternity Fund to signify its nature as well as to differentiate its working from Prize Chits

Sumitra Mahajan inaugurates CPA Conference

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan inaugurated the 6th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) of India Region in Patna.The 2-day conference will discuss subjects of ‘Parliament’s role in the development agenda’ and ‘Legislature and Judiciary’. Over 100 delegates from India and abroad, including Australia, Britain and Uganda, will participate in the conference.

Cyril Ramaphosa elected as SA’s new president

Cyril Ramaphosa has been elected as South Africa’s new president by ruling party legislators after the resignation of Jacob Zuma.Ramaphosa was the only candidate nominated for election in the parliament after two opposition parties said they would not participate. Ramaphosa is South Africa’s fifth president since majority rule started after the end of apartheid in 1994.

S Africa’s Prez resigns

Jacob Zuma has resigned from the post of South Africa’s President after defying a 48-hour deadline given by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to leave the office.Zuma, who had to face a no-confidence vote in Parliament said, “I fear no motion of no confidence” He said, No life should be lost. The ANC should never be divided in my name.

Germany running out of warships

The German Parliament’s Defence Committee has urged the Navy to stop deploying warships overseas, saying that the country does not have enough ships. Adding that several warships were already decommissioned due to their age, the committee blamed bureaucracy in the defence agencies as well as military contractors’ reluctance to supply necessary spare parts on time for the situation.

Homosexuality a mental disorder: Indonesia

Indonesia’s Health Ministry has announced that it has listed homosexuality as a mental disorder and will publish a medical guide stating the same.Ministry added that homosexuality is against the ethos of the country.Indonesian Parliament is currently discussing an amendment to the penal code to criminalise homosexuality in the country which is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

8 cr women to get free LPG connections

While presenting the Union Budget 2018 in Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that eight crore poor women will be provided with free LPG connections under the Ujjwala scheme.The Minister added that the Saubhagya scheme will provide power to four crore families and that the government will spend ?16,000 crore on this scheme.

Bill to hike judges salary gets approval

President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval to a Bill that will more than double the salaries of Supreme Court and High Court judges.In the Winter Session of Parliament, the Bill to increase salaries of judges was passed. Now after the President’s approval, the Chief Justice of India will draw a monthly salary of ?2.80 lakh, up from the current ?1 lakh.

Economic Survey 2017-18 printed in pink

The Economic Survey 2017-18 tabled in Parliament is printed in pink to highlight gender issues amid economic development.The survey estimated that due to “meta-preference” for sons, India could have about 21 million “unwanted girls,” or girls whose parents wanted to have sons instead. It pointed out that most parents continued to have children until they got sons.

Romania to have first female PM

Viorica Dancila has been named as Romania’s first female PM following the sudden resignation of Mihai Tudose.Ms Dancila is Romania’s third prime minister in seven months. Ms Dancila, a member of the European Parliament, is regarded as an ally of the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea. Dancila’s appointment comes after PSD forced their own PM to quit the job.

Turkey extends state of emergency

Turkish parliament has ratified a motion extending the ongoing state of emergency in Turkey for 3 months.This is the sixth time the state of emergency has been extended since a failed coup in summer 2016.Emergency powers have allowed the govt to rule through decrees, often by-passing parliament & to launch a crackdown against people suspected of links to coup-plotters.

Cabinet approves continuation of MPLADS

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval to the continuation of Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme till the term of the 14th Finance Commission i.e. 31.03.2020.The Scheme would entail an annual allocation of Rs. 3,950 crore and a total outlay of Rs. 11,850 crores. MPLADS is a scheme formulated by Government of India on 23 December 1993.

Start-up Incubation Centre launched

30 : Defense Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman launches Start-up Incubation Centre in Mangalore.She has allocated Rs. 1.5 crore from her MPLAD (Member of Parliament’s Local Area Development) scheme for the development of a start-up incubation center called the Centre for Entrepreneurship Opportunities and Learning (CEOL) in Mangaluru.She represents Karnataka as an MP in the Rajya Sabha.

Law to protect slums in Delhi

Parliament passed a bill to protect slums and unauthorised colonies in the national capital region.The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, gives immunity to slums and some unauthorised constructions till December 31, 2020.The legislation will give cover against punitive action on “as is where is basis” until December 2020.

France bans all gas and oil production

France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040.Under the law, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted in France or its overseas territories.The French government claims the ban is a world first.

Japan approves Akihito’s abdication

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet has formally approved April 30, 2019, as the abdication date for Japanese Emperor Akihito, which will end the current Heisei era in its 31st year.After the abdication, Akihito’s elder son Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the throne on May 1, 2019.Japan’s parliament enacted a law in June to enable him to pass the throne onto the crown prince.

Aus passes Marriage Equality Law

7 : Australia’s parliament has legislated for marriage equality, passing a bill almost unanimously to allow two people, regardless of sex, to marry.Australia, which changed the law in 2004 to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman, now becomes the 25th country to recognise same-sex marriage.Four members of the House of Representatives voted against the bill and some abstained.

15th Finance Commission hold 1st meeting

The first meeting of the newly constituted 15th Finance Commission took place in New Delhi. The Commission will review the current status of the finance, deficit, debt levels, cash balances and fiscal discipline efforts of the union and states. It will make recommendations for five years commencing 1st April, 2020.It is being headed by former Secretary and ex-Member of Parliament NK Singh.

Nod to ordinance for amendments in IBC

23 : The Cabinet has cleared the ordinance for making amendments in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to prevent willful defaulters from bidding for stressed assets. The Code, which became operational in December last year, provides for a market-determined and time-bound insolvency resolution process. The amendment may soon be introduced in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

Bangladesh CJ Surendra Sinha resigns

Bangladesh’s first Hindu Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has resigned after facing financial irregularities and money laundering allegations. Surendra Kumar Sinha led the Supreme Court to a landmark verdict which scrapped Parliament’s power to remove judges on grounds of misconduct and incapacity, in August 2017. His term was scheduled to expire in January 2018.

Surendra Kumar Sinha resigns

Bangladesh Chief Justice Surendra Sinha has resigned amid criticism over a Supreme Court verdict which scrapped Parliament’s power to remove judges on grounds of misconduct & incapacity. Sinha whose term was scheduled to expire in Jan next year is the 1st top judge of the country to step down. SC has issued a statement saying he is facing 11 charges including money laundering & corruption.

Sachin gave fund for foot overbridge

Cricket icon and Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for revamp of rail foot over bridges in Mumbai. The fund is given from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme fund. On September 29, 23 people were killed in the rush-hour stampede on a narrow foot overbridge (FOBs) linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban stations during heavy rain.

Shinzo Abe reelected as PM of Japan

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party secured over two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament. The win gives Abe’s ruling coalition, which already holds majority in the upper house, free reign to pass legislation in the country. Abe is likely to acquire the title of Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister. His four-year term was to otherwise end in December 2018.

Amal Datta passes away

Former Lok Sabha member Amal Datta, a nephew of legendary Marxist leader Jyoti Basu, died at a private city hospital following a cardiac arrest. Datta (84), who represented the Diamond Harbour constituency in the lower house of parliament for 14 years, left behind his wife and two sons. He entered the Lok Sabha in 1982 as a CPI-M member. He was re-elected in 1984, 1989 and 1991.

Lebanon passes first budget since 2005

Lebanon’s parliament has approved a government budget for the first time since 2005. For 12 years, political crises and wars have forced Lebanon’s state institutions to operate without a budget. The 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, plunged Lebanon into turmoil, dividing the country between supporters and enemies of Damascus.

FDDI Act 2017 comes into force

Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has been declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017. FDDI is a premier Institute, serving as a ‘One stop solutions provider’ in footwear, leather and allied industry.

Conference of SAARC Speakers

The 8th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians is being held in Colombo. The three day conference which started on October 4, 2017 is lead by Sumitra Mahajan. She will speak on the topic Association of the SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, a platform for the Parliamentarians of South Asia to work together to reach the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.

Merkel wins fourth term

Angela Merkel is set for a 4th term as Germany’s chancellor after her centre right CDU/CSU won a projected 33% of the vote in federal election. Her conservative CDU/CSU bloc has seen its worst result in almost 70 years but will remain the largest in parliament. Far-right AfD stunned the establishment by finishing third & entering parliament for the first time with 13.5% of the vote.

Shinzo Abe to dissolve lower house

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has said he would dissolve Parliament’s lower house for a snap election, as he seeks a fresh mandate to overcome “a national crisis.” Abe said he needed a fresh mandate to proceed with plans to use tax hikes to increase social spending & take a tough stance towards North Korea. Abe is thought to be looking to capitalise on improved ratings and opposition disarray.

Salman Khan honoured

Salman Khan received a Global Diversity Award at Britain’s House of Commons. Salman received the award from Keith Vaz, British Parliament’s longest-serving Asian MP. The Global Diversity Award is given to people of immense stature in terms of diversity in the world, and he is certainly one of them.

First female President of Singapore

Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Muslim Malay minority, did not have to face an election after authorities decided her rivals did not meet strict eligibility criteria. She meets the criteria set out for those in the public sector, having held office for at least 3 years as Speaker. She will be Singapore’s 1st female President & the first Malay head of state in 47 years.

First-ever Freedom Run in London

Members of Indian diaspora in UK took part in 1st ever Freedom Run to mark India’s 71st Independence Day. The run Started from Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Parliament Square to India House to commemorate this historic occasion. Event organised by Indian High Commission in London aimed at bringing together Indian community from across Britain to commemorate 70th anniversary of Independence.

Vempati given additional charge of RSTV

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, chief executive officer of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has been appointed as the chief of Rajya Sabha TV. Vempati will replace Gurdeep Singh Sappal who has been serving as the CEO and editor-in-chief of Rajya Sabha TV since 2011. Rajya Sabha TV is owned and operated by Rajya Sabha and covers the proceedings of the upper house of the Parliament.

Sanwar Lal Jat passes away

BJP’s Member of Parliament from Ajmer and former Union minister Prof Sanwar Lal Jat passed away in New Delhi. He was member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for five terms. He also served as Minister in the Rajasthan Government thrice. He served as Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation till July last year.

Zuma survives no-confidence vote

South African president, Jacob Zuma has narrowly survived a motion of no confidence against him in parliament. Opposition has made several attempts to remove Mr Zuma from office, but this was the 1st vote to be conducted by secret ballot. Out of 384 parliamentarians who cast ballots in a no-confidence motion, 177 voted in favor of motion to remove Zuma from office while198 voted against it.

Erdenebat, his cabinet voted out

Mongolian lawmakers have voted to dismiss the Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat & his Cabinet for alleged incompetence & corruption related to the signing of govt contracts with companies linked to 3 Cabinet members. Parliament shall appoint a new Cabinet & PM in 45 days, the current officials will continue serving in the interim. No Mongolian PM has completed the 4-year term since 2004

Abbasi elected as interim Pakistan PM

Pakistan’s parliament has elected Shahid Abbasi as country’s new PM, after Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif. He secured 221 votes out of 341 seats in an election process that began in a secret ballot. He is expected to hand over power to Shahbaz Sharif once the latter is elected to National Assembly in 6 weeks. Shahbaz Sharif is the CM of Punjab & younger brother of Nawaz Sharif.

Abbasi declared as interim Pakistan PM

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League has selected Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to be the interim prime minister of the country. Abbasi would serve as the chief executive of Pakistan for 45 days after which Nawaz Sharif brother Shahbaz Sharif will take over. Shahbaz cannot become prime minister right away as he is not a member of Pakistan’s parliament.

Nitish Kumar sworn-in as Bihar CM

JDU leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister for 6th time within hours of dumping the Grand Alliance. Kumar met governor Keshari Tripathi with NDA leaders & staked claim to form a new government with support of 132 MLAs. He has been asked by governor to prove his majority in Assembly within 2 days of taking oath. BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.

Advani gets Lifetime Achievement Award

Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions as a parliamentarian in the Lok Sabha. Award was given by the Vice President Hamid Ansari at a function organised by Lokmat Media Group. Advani has served as 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was the Leader of the Opposition in 10th & 14th Lok Sabha.

Gill elected to key Parliament panel

Britain’s first woman Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill has been elected to Home Affairs Select Committee in the UK Parliament. Labour Party candidate Preet Kaur Gill became Britain’s first female Sikh to be a member of parliament after she won her Birmingham Edgbaston seat in the June 8 snap general election. She has also been chosen to lead the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs.

New Members of Lok Sabha

National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah and Indian Union Muslim League leader PK Kunhalikutty took oath as members of Lok Sabha. Abdullah won the by-poll from Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary constituency while Kunhalikutty won the Malappuram by-poll in Kerala. Abdullah had lost in 2014 to the then PDP candidate Tariq Karra, who is now with Congress.

7% rise in transactions through cards

Govt officials have told a parliamentary panel that transactions through debit & credit cards rose by 7% post demonetization. Digital transactions in all modes increased by 23% to 27.5 million in May 2017. Highest jump was witnessed in transactions through UPI, from 1 million per day to 30 million. Least rise in digital transactions was witnessed in case of plastic cards.

Malta legalises same-sex marriage

Malta has voted to legalise same-sex marriage, despite opposition from the Catholic Church. Maltese parliament agreed to amend country’s marriage act, replacing words like husband and wife with the gender-neutral alternative spouse. Only one lawmaker out of 67 in the Maltese parliament voted against the legislation. Malta is the 24th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

Simone Veil passes away

Simone Veil, the iconic European feminist politician, has passed away in Paris, France. She played a leading role in legalizing contraception and abortion in France. She was the first female President of the European parliament since the Parliament was created in 1952. She was a Holocaust survivor. She lost her entire family to the Nazis.

British Parliament Hit by Cyberattack

UK parliament has suffered its biggest ever cyber attack as hackers launched a sustained and determined attempt to break into MPs email accounts. The brute force assault lasted for more than 12 hour as unknown hackers repeatedly targeted weak passwords of politicians and aides. The network affected is used by every MP including PM Theresa May and her cabinet ministers.

UK elects its first ever female Sikh MP

Preet Gill has become the first female Sikh MP to be elected to the UK’s Houses of Parliament while Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi became the First Turbaned Sikh MP in the UK Parliament. Preet Gill won Birmingham Edbaston seat by 24,124 votes while Dhesi won a huge majority of 16,998. Both Preet and Tanmanjeet are from Labour Party.

IFFCO gets a new vice-chairman

Vitthal Bhai Radadiya has been elected as the new Vice Chairman of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative. He is currently a director on IFFCO board and member of Parliament from Porbandar. He is also a social worker and a senior in cooperative business from Gujarat. IFFCO is India’s largest fertiliser cooperative.

Taiwan court to recognise gay marriage.

Taiwan’s constitutional court has declared that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry, This is first such ruling in Asia. The court gave the country’s parliament a period of two years for laws to be amended to allow same-sex marriage. Taiwan has a reputation as a beacon of liberalism in the region.

NTRO under Intelligence Act.

The National Technical Research Organisation which reports to the PMO and the NSA will now have the same “norms of conduct” as the IB and RAW. NTRO was created after the 1999 Kargil conflict as a dedicated technical intelligence agency. It was in 1985 that the act was first passed in Parliament to ensure that the intelligence officials do not leak out information and embarrass the govt.

Impeachment against Duterte rejected.

Philippine parliamentary panel has rejected a proposal for an impeachment motion against President Rodrigo Duterte for his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and other crimes. The failed proposal, filed by legislator Gary Alejano, called for Duterte’s impeachement for “culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, engaging in bribery and other crimes”.

Kharge is new PAC chairman

Mallikarjun Kharge, has become the chairman of the 21-member (15 from Lok sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha) Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, replacing K V Thomas. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is a committee of selected members of Parliament, constituted by the Parliament of India, for the auditing of the revenue and the expenditure of the Government of India.

Now Apply For Passports In Hindi: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs has made a provision enabling people to apply online for passports in Hindi. The move comes after President recently accepted recommendations made in this regard by the Committee of Parliament on Official Language. The panel had suggested that bilingual forms should be made available by all passport offices and forms filled in Hindi should also be accepted.

UK votes in favour of early election

The UK Parliament has overwhelmingly voted in favour of Prime Minister Theresa May’s call for an early general election. The Parliament yesterday voted 522 to 13 in favour of the election, to take place on June 8th. Ms May’s Conservatives currently hold 330 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons.

UK parliament votes on snap election

Britain’s parliament is to vote on holding a snap election in June. Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking to make strong gains against the opposition ahead of gruelling Brexit negotiations. An early election would therefore be the fourth big vote in four years after the general election of 2015.

Malala to receive Canadian citizenship

Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai became the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship. The Pakistani activist was welcomed to the seat of Canada’s democracy by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. At age 19, Yousafzai is the youngest person to speak to Canadian members of parliament and senators in a joint session.

Malala to receive Canadian citizenship

Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai became the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship. The Pakistani activist was welcomed to the seat of Canada’s democracy by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. At age 19, Yousafzai is the youngest person to speak to Canadian members of parliament and senators in a joint session.

Haryana passes motion for separate HC

The Haryana Assembly passed a resolution to request the Parliament to effect an amendment in the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 to provide for the creation of a separate High Court for the state in Chandigarh. It had earlier passed resolutions in 2002 and 2005. Chandigarh is common capital of both Haryana and Punjab.

Conference of World Parliamentarians

A mega conference of world parliamentarians has started in Dhaka promising to focus on ways and means to end political and economic inequality and uphold democracy and human rights. Around 687 members of 131 national parliaments around the world are expected to join the 4-day event organised jointly by the Geneva-based Inter Parliamentary Union and Bangladesh’s Parliament the Jatiya Sangsad.

US is India’s top arms supplier

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence reveals in a new report released on Thu that the US has been India’s biggest supplier of weapons platforms over the past 3 yrs. It is followed by Russia, Israel and France in that order. Non-official think tanks and non-proliferation groups like the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute publish annual assessments of global arms transfers.

Lok Sabha Passes Disabilities Bill

Parliament has passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016 with Lok Sabha approving it. The Rajya Sabha has already passed it. The Bill replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. The Bill provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities..

Govt to SC: RBI advised demonetisation

The government told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the Reserve Bank of India board had recommended the move to demonetise ` 500 and ` 1,000 notes. The government said RBI had the power to impose such restrictions on currency use. Under Section 24(1) of the RBI Act, the board could take such a decision and the govt. functioned only as a delegate of Parliament.

Thai Cabinet Acknowledges Appointment

Thailand’s Cabinet acknowledged the appointment of a new king. The death of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Oct 13 plunged the Southeast Asian nation into mourning. Following the king’s death, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha signalled Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s widely expected ascension. The cabinet,will ask the president of parliament to invite the crown prince to become king.

Kuwait Opposition Win Half of Parliament

Kuwait opposition groups & their allies have won nearly half seats for the 50-seat Parliament. The opposition and its allies won 24 seats. Safaa al-Hashem is the only woman to win one of the 50 seats. The liberal candidate has served in previous parliaments, and was one of 15 women who ran for seats. A new Cabinet is now expected to be formed within a week.

Union Budget 2017 on 1 Feb

The government has announced that budget will now be presented on 1 February. The Cabinet on 21 September had in-principle decided to end the colonial-era tradition of presenting the budget on the last working day of February. The earlier practice was inherited from the colonial era, when the British Parliament would pass the budget in the noon followed by India in the evening of that day.

Parliament Winter Session Begins

The winter session of the Parliament opened. On the first day of Winter session of parliament, Loksabha adjourned for the day after paying tribute its passed away members. During the month long session, nine new bills including on GST and surrogacy regulation are expected to be introduced. The issue of demonetisation of old 500 and 1000 rupee notes is set to echo in the winter Session.

Colombia, FARC Rebels Announce New Deal

The Colombian govt & the Farc rebel group have announced a new peace agreement. It comes after six weeks the original deal was rejected in a popular vote. Alvaro Uribe,a former President who led the no campaign was involved in this round of negotiations intended to end 52 years of civil war. The new agreement will have to be approved by parliament, rather than being put directly to voters.

Afghan Parliament Sacks Three Ministers

Afghanistan parliament sacked the Minister of Foreign Affairs & two of his cabinet colleagues. Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, Public Works Minister Mahmood Baligh & Social Services Minister Nasreen Oryakhel all failed to win confidence votes in parliament. They were declared to have been dismissed by the Speaker. All three were dismissed for their performance.

Jacob Zuma Survives No-Confidence Vote

A motion of no confidence in South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has been defeated in parliament. An anti-corruption probe last week raised allegations of misconduct against Mr Zuma. Mr Zuma’s African National Congress (ANC) has a huge majority in parliament and the opposition motion was defeated by 214 votes to 126. This was his third time no confidence vote in less than a year.

Swachh Bharat cess imposed tax services

Minister of State for Finance Mr. Santosh Kumar Gangwar informs Parliament that the Government has collected Rs. 3,901.78 crore last fiscal from 0.5 percent Swachh Bharat cess imposed on all taxable services.

Ms. Aung’s San Suu Kyi a role of State Adviser

Myanmar’s Parliament in Naypyidaw passes a Bill that gives Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi a role of roul of State Adviser, a role similiar to that of Prime Minister.

Tibetan elect their nominees

Tibetan exiles across the world vote to elect their nominees for the post of ‘Sikyong’ or Prime Minister and the members of the parliament-in-exile.

South Korea’s parliament passes the country’s first anti-terror bill

South Korea’s parliament passes the country’s first anti-terror bill, getting through the National Assembly with 156 in favour.

Iran Parliamentary Election results declared

Iran Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections results are declared. Results show seats being shared three ways between Rouhani’s reformist and moderate allies, conservatives and independents.

Ukraine government support 194 out of the 339 members of Parliament

Ukraine Prime Minister Mr. Arseniy Yatsenyuk-led government survives a no-confidence, after only 194 out of the 339 members of the parliament support it.

Third PM of Maldova in less than a year

Moldovan parliament appoints Mr. Pavel Filip as the Prime Minister. He would be the third prime minister of Moldova in less than a year.

Insurance Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

The long-pending Insurance Bill – that seeks to increase the Foreign Direct Investment cap in the sector to 49 per cent — was introduced in the Lok Sabha. Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha sought permission of the Lok Sabha to introduce the The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015. The Opposition contention was that the Government was trying to set a new precedent that violated the very structure of the bicameral system of Parliament that India has adopted.

Budget session of Parliament started

The budget session of Parliament began today with President Pranab Mukherjee’s addressing joint session of both houses. Here are the highlights of what the President said:
•My government has been of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’
•Within a span of 9 months my govt has embarked on a comprehensive strategy for unleashing the economy
•My govt has worked for the welfare of the poor, the marginalized & the vulnerable sections of the society
•Swachhta Abhiyan launched for a clean & open defecation free India by 2019
•My govt has attached highest impotrance to sustainable socio-economic growth of rural India

About us

Quick links

Social Media Links