The Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded on Thursday with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die amid repeated disruptions over the NEET issue and police action against protesting students.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the productivity of the session remained low, with the Lok Sabha recording only 19% of scheduled work and the Rajya Sabha around 39%. He blamed the Congress for repeatedly disrupting proceedings and expressed disappointment over the quality of debates.

Addressing a press conference after the adjournment of both Houses, Rijiju said the government was willing to hold discussions, but the Opposition repeatedly avoided them. He alleged that the Congress was entirely responsible for creating disruptions in Parliament.

According to Rijiju, 12 Bills were passed during the Monsoon Session, but only one of them was discussed in detail.

The session, which began on July 20, witnessed repeated disruptions from the beginning. Opposition parties initially demanded discussions on the NEET question paper leak and donations related to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Later, protests focused on alleged police action against students demonstrating over the NEET issue.

The Opposition also demanded statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The government made attempts on Monday and Wednesday to initiate a debate on the NEET issue to break the deadlock. However, the efforts failed after the Congress rejected the proposed format of the discussion.

Rahul Gandhi Questions Police Action

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition wanted answers specifically on the police action against protesting students and was not interested in hearing speeches from the Home Minister.

Gandhi questioned who had ordered the use of pellet guns against protesting students. He argued that if Amit Shah had authorised such action, he would be responsible, while if he had not, it would raise questions about his competence as Home Minister.

The session ended without a resolution to the political deadlock, with both Houses being adjourned sine die.

The post Monsoon Session Ends Amid Uproar Over NEET Issue and Student Protests appeared first on Odisha Connect.

The post Parliament Standoff: Amit Shah Says Government Ready for Detailed Discussion appeared first on Odisha Connect.

In a significant escalation of tensions between the Opposition and the Election Commission, several Opposition parties have jointly submitted a formal notice seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The move, filed on Friday, has drawn support from 193 Members of Parliament (MPs), surpassing the constitutional thresholds required to initiate such proceedings.

Constitutional Requirement and Support

Parliamentary rules mandate that a removal notice for the CEC must carry signatures from at least 100 Lok Sabha members and 50 Rajya Sabha members. The Opposition’s notice has exceeded these minimums, with 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs backing the motion.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has confirmed receipt of the notice filed by the Trinamool Congress, with scrutiny of the documents expected to begin shortly. The formal presentation of the notice is scheduled for Saturday.

Allegations Against the CEC

Opposition parties have cited multiple charges against Gyanesh Kumar, referencing Supreme Court judgments to bolster their claims. The allegations include:

• Denial of voting rights to eligible citizens.

• Partisan conduct favouring certain political parties.

The Opposition argues that these actions constitute a serious breach of constitutional duty and undermine democratic norms. They also suggest that the scale of support for the notice reflects the seriousness of concerns regarding the Election Commission’s functioning, especially during the ongoing Budget Session.

Two-Set Notice Strategy

In a meticulously planned move, the Opposition prepared two separate sets of notices to comply with parliamentary procedure:

• Lok Sabha Notice: Carries 130 signatures, exceeding the required 100.

• Rajya Sabha Notice: Includes 63 signatures, above the required 50.

This dual-notice approach ensures procedural compliance while reinforcing the Opposition’s position ahead of formal parliamentary discussions.

Opposition Projects Unity

The joint initiative has emerged as a rare point of consensus among Opposition parties, who often differ on policy matters. By uniting over concerns of electoral integrity, the notice signals a coordinated effort to hold the Election Commission accountable.

With the notice now in Parliament’s pipeline, the coming days are expected to feature intense debates over the independence and accountability of the Election Commission.

The post Why the Opposition Wants the CEC Removed: Inside the 193-Signature Push appeared first on Odisha Connect.

The Supreme Court issued a landmark warning about the persistent gender inequality in India, requesting the Centre and state governments to provide answers on the implementation of a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies within four weeks. The bench, consisting of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan, called women “the biggest minority”, almost 48% of the population, and asked the question of why such equity depends on reservation at all, while at the same time it was investigating the government’s timeline for the census and delimitation.

The focus is on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the historic 106th Constitutional Amendment of September 2023, which was celebrated as a breakthrough for the reservation of one-third of seats in Parliament, Delhi’s assembly, and all state legislatures. However, its implementation is waiting for a new census and the redrawing of boundaries, thus causing courts to be flooded with petitions like the one from Congress leader Jaya Thakur, who expresses her disbelief at the fact that, after 75 years of independence, women still have to approach the judiciary to claim their rights in a democracy.

The march towards equity is being held up by several corollary issues. According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s report of July, the number of women candidates has risen gradually from a paltry 3% in the 1957 election to 10% in 2024. Women MPs in the Lok Sabha increased from 22 in the first House to 75 in the 18th (14% of the total), whereas the number of female members in the Rajya Sabha rose from 15 in 1952 to 42 nowadays (17%). The report points out that this achievement is the result of a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society” effort which places women’s empowerment at the centre.

While answers are awaited, the question remains: Will the administrative steps cause delays in participation, or will they lead to a more courageous, far-reaching horizon? On this pivot of ballots and benches, what would be your next move?

The post Echoes of Equity: Supreme Court Raps Centre on Women’s 33% Quota Delay appeared first on Odisha Connect.