Parliament Highlights: Parliament to adjourn sine die on Thursday, a day ahead of schedule

We're deeply disturbed by the Bucha incident, said Jaishankar in Lok Sabha on Ukraine crisis. He added that India condemned the Bucha killings. The Rajya Sabha passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, on Tuesday. Several opposition parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress (AITC), CPI (M), and the DMK questioned the timing of the bill and called it an attack on the federal structure of the country. Stay tuned for live updates.

Parliament to adjourn sine die on Thursday, a day ahead of schedule

Rajya Sahba passes The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022

Lok Sabha passes the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022; adjourns for the day

Every move of government is being seen in political lens, says Amit Shah

Shouldn't India improve its criminal justice system, asks Amit Shah

Government wants to take away human rights, says CPI MP Binoy Viswam

4 Kashmiri Pandits among 14 Hindus killed by terrorists in J&K since 2019: Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai

Government trying to make a police state, says Sanjay Raut

AIADMK MP Navaneethakrishnan cites Albert Einstein in support of The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill

Conviction rates in India low, says YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva calls The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 'repressive, oligarchic'

TMC MP Sukhendu Roy says The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022 is 'draconian', goes further than laws imposed in British India

Ruckus in Rajya Sabha during discussion of The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022

BJP's Mahesh Jethmalani raises 1975 Emergency in debate on The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022

Rajya Sabha discusses The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022

BSNL to install 1.12 lakh towers for rolling out 4G across India

The indigenous 4G telecom network will soon be rolled out across India with the BSNL planning to install about 1.12 lakh towers throughout the country, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The minister also said the internet connection inside trains can be available only when the 5G network will be rolled out as communications get disrupted with 4G technology in trains running with the speed of 100 km per hour.

India tops world in terms of number of persons killed in road accidents

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday raised concern over road accidents and said that India tops the world in terms of number of persons killed in road accidents.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said that based on the latest issue of the World Road Statistics (WRS) 2018, brought out by the International Road Federation, Geneva, India ranks number 3 as per number of accidents.

And India ranks number 1 as per number of persons killed and ranks number 3 as per number of persons injured in road accidents, Gadkari added.(PTI)

Nearly 2 lakh candidates selected for central govt jobs in last 5 yrs: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Nearly two lakh candidates were recruited for the central government jobs in the last five years, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. During the last five years, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) have advertised 1,85,734 and 27,764 posts and recruited 1,74,744 and 24,836 candidates respectively, he said.(PTI)

Proceedings have resumed in Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2:30 pm.

Atmanirbhar bharat is the nation that can look after its people, says Jaishankar

"Atmanirbhar bharat is the nation that can look after its people and is capable of carring out Openration Ganga," he said. With this, he concluded his address in Lok Sabha.

Reacting to comments on India just giving out advisories amid Ukraine evacuation, Jaishankar said, "Our advisories helped people get updates on which border was open and where to move in Ukraine."

Meanwhile proceedings in Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.

Jaishankar compliments every state government for arrangements made by them for students evacuated from Ukarine.

Jaishankar on what put Indian students in quandary in Ukraine

Recounting how the events unfolded in Ukraine, Jaishankar said that the overall signal from Ukrainian authorities was that emerging situation was manageable. This put Indian students in quandary, he added.

On Ukraine situation, Jaishankar says, 'If India has chosen a side, it has chosen side of peace'.

Jaishankar appreciates other ministers travelling abroad to make sure the Operation Ganga was carried our efficiently. He says that's the "team spirit" of this government.

"Had the four ministers not gone to countries neighbouring Ukraine, India would not have got same level of cooperation," he adds.

Jaishankar added that the conflict in Ukraine has had significant consequences for the global economy and for our national economy. "Like all countries, we too are assessing the implications and deciding what is best for our national interest," he said.

Jaishankar explains the impact of PM's call to Putin, Zelenskyy

When PM raised the safety issue of Indian students with Putin and Zelenskyy, both the sides agreed to stop firing, givingthe students enough timeto leave Kharkiv and Sumy. That's how the evacuation was carried out in Ukraine, Jaishankar explained in Lok Sabha.

PM personal intervention also made Operation Ganga unique, says Jaishankar

Every operation is unique an comparing two evacuation operations may not be fair. However, the challenges faced during Operation Ganga and the number of people evacuated were higher, said Jaishankar.He added that PM personal intervention was also unique to this operation.

Attributing political colour to India's actions vis-a-vis Ukraine situation unfortunate, says Jaishankar.

No other country has ever evacuated their citizens at this scale, says Jaishankar in Lok Sabha

He adds that India's efforts to evacuate citizens in Ukraine inspired other nations.

Talking about the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar said that India is "responding positively" and the nation is doing its best to provide food and medical supplies to neighbours.

Dialogue and diplomacy are the right answers to dispute, says Jaishankar.

Ground situation in Ukraine calls for immediate humanitarian relief, says Jaishankar

Jaishankar said that the ground situation calls for immediate humanitarian relief. He added that India will be sending more medical supplies to Ukraine in the coming days.

We're deeply disturbed by the Bucha incident, says Jaishankar in Lok Sabha on Ukraine crisis.

He adds that India condemns Bucha killings and calls for an independent probe.

Properties of 610 Kashmiri Pandits restored in last 5 years, says Nityanand Rai

“As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the land of 610 applicants has been restored in the last five years,” Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said.

In Rajya Sabha, Gadkari exuded confidence that the nation will be able to reduce the number of accidents along highways.

He added that the Centre will explore policies/schemes to allow private doctors set up trauma centres along national highways to provide medical assistance to those who meet with accidents.

Replying to a question on the steps government has taken to provide medical assistance to those who meet with an accident on national highways, Gadkari replied:

> 710 ambulances have been deployed across toll plazas in national highways.
> Helpline number 1033 has been started
> Facility for drone and helicopter landing are being set up
> The government is also working on reducing blind spots

There has been a decline in the number of malnourished children from 19% to 7%, claims Irani.

Don't overburden anganwadi workers, says Smriti Irani in RS.

She addedthat the Centre has been asked the district officials to ensure anganwadi workers are not overburdened.

Smriti Irani is replying to questions in Rajya Sabha

You can watch the proceedings in Rajya Sabha here:

Proceedings begin in both the Houses.

In Rajya Sabha, MPs are laying down the papers, while in the lawmakers in the Lower House are discussing water logging issues.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh has given Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha over "suicide of youth due to unemployment in the country".

'Special Officer' to be boss of reunified MCD till new House holds session: Experts

As Rajya Sabha passed a bill for reunifying the three municipal corporations of Delhi on Tuesday, experts and civic officials said a special officer will be "boss" of the new civic body till its House holds the first session.

Parliament passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod to it through a voice vote after negating all amendments sought by the opposition.

According to the bill, passed by Lok Sabha last week, the unification of the municipal corporations will ensure synergised and strategic planning and optimal utilisation of resources.(PTI)

In Rajya Sabha,Jawhar Sircar and John Brittas will lay the statements showing further action taken by the Centre on the reports of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology (2021-22).AVijaykumar and Sukhram Singh Yadav will lay the 13th Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas on 'Safety and Security of Oil Installations of Public Sector Oil Companies - with specific reference to Western Offshore Mishap during Cyclone Tauktae'.

Bill to ban financing weapons of mass destruction introduced in LS

The Modi government on Tuesday introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend a 2005 law and ban the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The Bill will amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, in accordance with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the United Nations Security Council’s targeted financial sanctions.

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The discussion on the working of the ministry of labour and employment is also likely to conclude in theRajyaSabhawith a reply by the minister.

Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti to make a statement on PMAY-G in RS

Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti will make a statement regarding the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the 16th report of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development on 'Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G). Jyoti will lay a statement correcting the answer given in the Rajya Sabha on March 23 to a question arising out of the answer to unstarred question 2342 regarding 'Programmes for rural poverty alleviation'.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022 is likely to be tabled in RS

As per the List of Business of the Upper House of Parliament, the government is also likely to table the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022. Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda is likely to move the Bill further to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 for inclusion of a certain community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to Tripura as passed by the Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration and passing.

The Centre is likely to table the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is to move the Bill which seeks to authorise "taking measurements of convicts and other persons for the purposes of identification and investigation in criminal matters and to preserve records and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration."

Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill to be discussed in Rajya Sabha today

Delhi BJP welcomes passing of bill in Parliament to unify city's 3 municipal corporations

The BJP's Delhi unit on Tuesday welcomed the passing of Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill-2022, saying it will spur development of the city and benefit employees of the civic bodies.

However, the Delhi Congress slammed the BJP, saying the Bill passed by Rajya Sabha failed to address the core issue of fund crisis faced by the corporations.(PTI)

Polls unlikely before 1 year: Experts after Rajya Sabha nod to bill to unify Delhi's 3 municipal corporations

With the total number of municipal wards set to be revised following the passage of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill-2022 in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, experts have said that the civic polls here is unlikely to take place before a year from now as a fresh delimitation exercise will be required.

A unified civic body will be "good for Delhi and "good for people", serving and former mayors of the city said.(PTI)

Rename MCD bill as Kejriwal-phobia bill: AAP in Rajya Sabha

In a swipe at the central government, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Tuesday asked it to rename the bill to reunify Delhi's three municipal corporations as the "Kejriwal-phobia" bill and alleged that it was brought by the BJP to avoid civic polls.

Speaking in the upper house, he alleged that the Centre wants to take control of the three municipal corporations to stop Arvind Kejriwal's AAP from coming to power.(PTI)

Good morning readers and welcome to our coverage of the Budget Session in Parliament today. Yesterday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, on Tuesday. Several opposition parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress (AITC), CPI (M), and the DMK questioned the timing of the bill and called it an attack on the federal structure of the country.