The Winter Session of Parliament began on December 15 and it will go on till January 5, 2018. This will be the first full-fledged session with Vice President M. Venkiah Naidu as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after paying tributes to members who passed away after the Monsoon Session.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the new Cabinet, following obituary references in both Houses.
After a bitter poll campaign for Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the Opposition leaders. saying “constructive criticism helps in policy making.”
Here are the live updates:
The Upper House saw three adjournments before the Chair finally called it a day, a little after 3 p.m. Both the Houses would now meet on Monday.
Members troop into the well of the Rajya Sabha and shout slogans. They say, "No" when Deputy Chairman of the House P.J. Kurien asks them if they don't want private Members' Bills. The House is adjourned till Monday.
The Rajya Sabha is back in session with Mr. Kurien is in the Chair.
Private Members' Business begins, amidst protests from members.
Vinay P. Sahasrabuddhe of the BJP rises to introduce The Educational Innovations Commission Bill, 2017. V. Vijaysai Reddy of the YSR Congress introduces The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (insertion of new article 21B), The Prevention of Enforced Disappearance Bill, 2017 and The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017.
T. Subbarami Reddy of the Congress introduces The Flood and Drought Control Bill, 2017 and The Play Schools (Regulation) Bill, 2017. Sukhendu Sekhar Roy of the Trinamool Congress introduces The Bail Bill, 2017 and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (amendment of article 366).
The Vedic Education (Compulsory Teaching in Educational Institutions) Bill, 2017, The Solar Power (Development, Promotion and Mandatory Use) Bill, 2017 and The Judicial Statistics Bill, 2017 are introduced by Narayan Lal Panchariya of the BJP.
The Rajya Sabha is back in session. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad rises to speak again. Shouting of slogans commences. The House is adjourned till 2.30 p.m.
Vijay Goel of the BJP makes a statement on the government business from December 18, 2017. He lists the Bills the government has had passed by the Lok Sabha, pending in the Rajya Sabha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rises to introduce the new Council of Ministers.
Zero Hour begins.
Navaneethakrishnan of the AIADMK begins speaking about cyclone Ockhi. He reiterates Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami's request to declare Ockhi as a national disaster. But slogan shouting drowns his voice.
MPs take to the well of the House. The House is adjourned till 12 noon.
The Lok Sabha is adjourned till Monday.
Lok Sabha member Dushyant Chautala arrives at the Parliament House on a tractor. He was, however, stopped at the gate.
In Rajya Sabha
Mr. Venkaiah Naidu congratulates the women's hockey team for their performance in the Asia Cup.
Papers are laid on the table. Mr. Naidu says MPs laying their papers need not say, "I beg to lay on the table" any more as "we are independent now". Instead, he requests them to say, "I raise."
Mr. Naidu announces that the disqualification of Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar from the Rajya Sabha is final, after hearing their arguments against his decision.
Shouting of slogans begins immediately after this announcement.
Obituary references in Lok Sabha
- Sultan Ahmed (Sitting Member and Member Fifteenth, Lok Sabha)
- Chand Nath (Sitting Member)
- Tasleem Uddin (Sitting Member and Member, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fourteenth Lok Sabhas)
- Shri Vikram Mahajan (Member, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Lok Sabhas)
- Ram Singh (Member, Ninth Lok Sabha)
- R. Keishing (Member, First and Third Lok Sabhas)
- P.C. Barman (Member, Third Lok Sabha)
- Dhanraj Singh (Member, Ninth Lok Sabha)
- Amal Datta (Member, Seventh to Tenth Lok Sabhas)
- Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi (Member, Fifth, Eighth, Eleventh,Thirteenth and Fourteenth Lok Sabhas).
Obituary references in Rajya Sabha
- Shri Khamsum Namgyal Pulger (ex-Member)
- Shri S.B. Ramesh Babu (ex-Member)
- Shri Rishang Keishing (ex-Member)
- Shri Arjan Singh, Marshal of Indian Air Force
- Shri Jayantilal Barot (ex-Member)
- Shri Makhan Lal Fotedar (ex-Member)
- Shri Gaya Singh (ex-Member)
- Dr. Ishwar Chandra Gupta (ex-Member)
- Shri Mirza Irshadbaig (ex-Member)
- Shri Sukomal Sen (ex-Member)
The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha begin the day with the playing of the National Anthem. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Mr. Venkaiah Naidu are in the Chair respectively.
Both the Houses have got new Secretary Generals. Snehlata Shrivastava takes over as the Lok Sabha Secretary General from Anup Mishra.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan greets Snehlata Shrivastava, the newly-appointed Secretary General of the House.
Mr. Naidu reads out obituary references.
In the Lok Sabha, the newly-inducted ministers are introduced by the Prime Minister.
Looking forward for a productive session
Mr. briefly met the mediapersons ahead of the commencement of the Winter Session. "It is not cold yet, but the Winter Session has already begun," he remarked in a lighter vein.
"I wish there is constructive, innovative debate in this Winter Session," Mr. Modi said, adding, "We had an all-party meet yesterday. We decided that the session will be a productive one. I also wish the session will uphold democracy and work towards development of the country."
