Parliament’s Monsoon Session updates | Day one marred by adjournments

Here are all the updates from the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon session

July 18, 2022 10:55 am | Updated 04:13 pm IST

A view of Parliament House building during on the first day monsoon session of Parliament, in Delhi on July 18, 2022.

A view of Parliament House building during on the first day monsoon session of Parliament, in Delhi on July 18, 2022. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on the first day of the Monsoon Session on July 18 following sloganeering and disruption by Congress MPs over issues like price rise and GST. Earlier, several newly elected members of the upper House took oath.

Tune into the inaugural episode of The Hindu’s Parliament Watch podcast here

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 p.m. so members could vote in the presidential poll. As the House met for the first time in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, three MPs, took oath as members of the Lok Sabha. PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi were among those present in the House. 

While the Centre said it is ready to discuss all important issues, the Opposition said the session is very short and the House may not be able to take up the 32 Bills listed by the Centre. There will be 18 sittings during the session, including the private members’ business on four Fridays. The session will end on August 12. The Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections will also take place during the session.

Parliament Recap | A look at the Bills introduced in the last session

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said some of these 32 bills have been cleared by by department related standing committees of Parliament. He assured that no Bill will be passed without discussion.

Lok Sabha | 2:06 PM

Lok Sabha adjourned for the day

Amid sloganeering of Opposition members demanding discussion over price rise, Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day. Will resume at 11: 00 AM on 19 July

Lok Sabha | 2:00 PM

Lok Sabha resumes

Lok Sabha resumes for the day amid sloganeering, after voting of Presidential candidate

Rajya Sabha | 11:53 a.m.

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day

Proceedings in Rajya Sabha have been adjourned for the day as Opposition MPs protested and walked up to the Well of the House over inflation and GST rate hikes. Members demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi come to the House and reply to the issues concerned. The House will meet tomorrow, on July 19 at 11 a.m. - Delhi Bureau

Rajya Sabha | 11:50 a.m.

Naidu felicitates 71 MPs

Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, M. Venkaiah Naidu, felicitated 71 MPs who have been either re-elected or elected in the recent elections. Of these, 14 have been re-elected while 57 have entered the House for the first time.

“While the re-elected seniors provide continuity, the new members bring in fresh perspectives and dynamism,” he said.

Mr. Naidu also welcomed the four nominated members — P.T. Usha, Ilayaraaja, Vijayendra Prasad and Veerendra Heggade. - PTI

Rajya Sabha | 11:50 a.m.

Naidu urges MPs to be ‘different and better’

Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu met the leaders of parties in Rajya Sabha ahead of the Monsoon Session at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas on July 17.

Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu met the leaders of parties in Rajya Sabha ahead of the Monsoon Session at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas on July 17. | Photo Credit: PTI

Presiding over his last session as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, M. Venkaiah Naidu urged MPs to be “different and better” than they were in the last five years when 57% of House sittings were partly or fully disrupted.

On the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, he said this is the last session in the 75th year of Independence and MPs should give their best performance to make it a memorable session. Mr. Naidu’s five-year term as vice president of India and chairman of the Rajya Sabha ends on August 10.

“During the last 13 sessions, 141 of the 248 scheduled full sittings, accounting for 57% of the total sittings were disrupted partly or fully... All of you would agree that this could have been better given our mission for the nation. Better late than never. It is time now to be different and better,” he said. - PTI

Rajya Sabha | 11:45 a.m.

Piyush Goyal appointed as leader of the House in Rajya Sabha

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed as leader of the House in Rajya Sabha by prime minister Narendra Modi, says Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu.

11.41 a.m.

AAP MPs protest over delay in Arvind Kejriwal’s Singapore visit clearance

AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and others protest during on the first day monsoon session of Parliament, in Delhi on July 18, 2022.

AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and others protest during on the first day monsoon session of Parliament, in Delhi on July 18, 2022. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Aam Aadmi Party MPs, including Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, protested in the Parliament precinct on the first day of the Monsoon session, over delay in granting clearance for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s travel to Singapore.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he has been waiting for the permission for over a month.

Urging the Prime Minister to expedite the permission process so he could participate in the World Cities Summit and present his views, Kejriwal said his Singapore trip will bring pride to the nation. - (With inputs from PTI)

Rajya Sabha | 11:40 a.m.

RS observes silence as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed

Chairman Naidu made obituary references to former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, ex-UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, legendary Hindustani classical musician Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and others.

Rajya Sabha | 11:40 a.m.

Congress gives adjournment notices, seeks discussion on Agnipath scheme

On the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Congress has given adjournment notices in the Rajya Sabha on the Agnipath recruitment scheme for armed forces and sought a discussion.

Congress member Deepender Hooda has moved a notice under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha, demanding a discussion on the Agnipath scheme after setting aside all other business of the House.

He sought a discussion on the Agnipath scheme, which he alleged has been “implemented across the country by the government unilaterally without any prior discussion and deliberation”.

Another Congress member, Shaktisinh Gohil, also moved an adjournment notice demanding immediate withdrawal of the scheme and saying that it is not good for the country’s national security. He claimed that the youth are agitated over the scheme and have been protesting against it.

Meanwhile, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Rajya Sabha will be held on July 19 in Parliament.- PTI

Rajya Sabha | 11:32 a.m.

Harbhajan Singh takes oath as a member of Rajya Sabha from Punjab

AAP MP Harbhajan Singh on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Monday, July 18, 2022.

AAP MP Harbhajan Singh on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Monday, July 18, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

Lok Sabha | 11.18 a.m.

Lok Sabha adjourned until 2 p.m.

Proceedings of the Lok Sabha have been adjourned until 2.00 p.m. due to the ongoing voting to elect the 15th President of India. Speaker Om Birla said the House proceedings will resume afterwards.

Lok Sabha | 11.14 a.m.

Tribute to former Lok Sabha members

Lok Sabha Speakers pays tribute to formers MPs and reads out the obituary. House members observe a two-minute silence, paying tributes to them.

Lok Sabha | 11.11 a.m.

Lok Sabha pays tribute to former Presidents of UAE, Kenay

Lok Sabha Speaker pays tribute to former United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and former Kenya President Mwai Kibaki.

Lok Sabha | 11.07 a.m.

Lok Sabha pays tribute to late Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pays tribute to former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on July 8 during a campaign rally in Nara. Mr. Birla also remembers Abe’s address in the Parliament of India during his visit in 2007.

Rajya Sabha | 11.04 a.m.

New Rajya Sabha members take oath

Newly elected MPs take oath as Rajya Sabha members as the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins.

Lok Sabha | 11.02 a.m.

New Lok Sabha MPs take oath

Newly elected Lok Sabha members take their oaths on the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. Speaker Om Birla congratulates them and states that there is no vacant seat in the House at present.

New MPs are:

Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, BJP, from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh

Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirauha’, BJP, from Azamgarh, U.P.

Shatrughan Prasad Sinha, TMC, from Asansol, West Bengal

Simranjit Singh Mann, Akali Dal (Amritsar), from Sangrur, Punjab

Rajya Sabha | 11.00 a.m.

Rajya Sabha begins

Rajya Sabha proceedings on day one of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament begin with the national anthem. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu convenes the Upper House proceedings.

Lok Sabha | 11.00 a.m.

Lok Sabha begins

Lok Sabha proceedings on day one of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament begin with the national anthem. Speaker Om Birla convenes the proceedings.

Presidential election

Voting begins to elect India’s 15th President

Voting for the presidential election in which NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha began on Monday. Polling began at 10 a.m. and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to cast his vote. The voting process would conclude at 5 p.m.

Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs are entitled to vote in the election, but nominated MPs and MLAs, and members of Legislative Councils are not. Besides Room number 63 on the first floor of Parliament House, which has been converted into a polling station, voting is simultaneously taking place at various State assemblies.

Counting of votes will be held on July 21.

10.30 a.m.

PM Modi urges MPs to make Monsoon Session as productive as possible

In his regular address to the media, ahead of the parliament session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges MPs to hold deep discussions and make the session as fruitful and productive as possible.

In a lighter vein, he says, the weather in Delhi is pleasant, hopefully it is the same in the House too.

The Prime Minister says there should be dialogue in Parliament with an open mind. - Nistula Hebbar

Parliament Watch

The inaugural episode of the Parliament Watch podcast, on the day that the Monsoon session kicks off

Parliament Watch from The Hindu is a podcast that will keep you updated on every working day of Parliament. Join us as we take you through the Bills that are tabled, the ones that are passed, the key debates and high drama from both Houses of the parliament.

In this episode we give you an overview of the Monsoon session of Parliament that kicks off on July 18, with a gist of the key Bills that are to be taken up. We also bring in The Hindu’s Political Editor Nistula Hebbar to give you a better understanding of the political stakes in this session, particularly with the election of the President and the Vice-President on the cards.

Rajya Sabha

List of business

Bill for Consideration and Passing: Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022

Lok Sabha

List of business

Bill for Introduction: Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022

Bill for Consideration and Passing: Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022

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