Parliament: ‘Will Make Linking Aadhaar to Voter ID Mandatory,’ Says Law Minister
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Lok Sabha passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill amid ruckus by Opposition members, as the Winter Session of Parliament entered its 16th day on Monday, 20 December.
Leaders of Opposition parties had congregated ahead of the beginning of the session to deliberate over attending the meeting called by the central government on the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, and consequently, declined to meet with the Centre.
Both Houses have witnessed repeated disruptions, adjournments, and hit productivity lows after 12 Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for their "unruly" conduct during the Monsoon Session.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have also demanded the resignation of MoS Ajay Misra Teni, after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident said that the incident was 'a pre-planned conspiracy,' and was not an act of negligence.
The Centre introduced Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha on Monday
Both the Houses were earlier adjourned till Monday amid uproar by Opposition MPs over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Till Tuesday
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till Tuesday, 21 December. Congress and other Opposition parties had staged a walkout stating that the Chair was not listening to them.
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Passed in RS
The Rajya Sabha, on Monday, 20 December, passed the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to rectify errors that had crept into the NDPS (Amendment) Act.
The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on 13 December.
'Will make linking Aadhar to Voter ID Mandatory: Union Law Minister
After the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "There should be proper discussions on our election reforms. We had asked the Opposition to participate and voice their opinions in the discussion, but they created chaos."
Speaking on the bill, Rijiju said:
He further added, "Even after 18 years, the system says that one has to wait a whole year to exercise their voting rights if they couldn't register on 1 January (of the year of revision of electoral roll). This bill will allow 4 qualifying dates a year to register as voters."
Moreover, the bill proposes to replace the word “wife” with “spouse” to make the act (Representation of the People Act of 1951) gender-neutral. Rijiju remarked that this will also expand the limits of the election premises acquisition.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Till 5 pm
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 5 pm as Opposition ruckus got fierce after a verbal spat between Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan and treasury benches.
'Majority of Indians Vaccinated': Health Minister Mandaviya
"Under PM Modi's leadership, with the efforts of our healthcare workers, 88 percent of first doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered; 58 percent of second doses administered so far. Majority of the population in India is vaccinated today", Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Mandaviya added, "Today all states/UTs have adequate quantity of vaccines, 17 crore doses available with them. Our manufacturing capacity increased. Today India has capacity to manufacture 31 crore doses of vaccine/month. In next two months, it'll further rise to 45 crore doses/month."
The health minister further informed that India currently has 161 Omicron cases.
Lok Sabha Adjourned Till Tomorrow
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Tuesday, 21 December.
Lok Sabha Passes Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021
'The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021' was passed in the Lok Sabha after it was introduced in the House on Monday morning. This bill proposes to link Aadhaar with Voter ID.
Lok Sabha Refers Biological Diversity Bill to Joint Committee
Lok Sabha has referred The Biological Diversity Bill, 2021 to Joint Committee of both the Houses for examination.
Lok Sabha Adjourned Till 2:45
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2:45 pm.
The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2021 Passed in LS
The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Till 3 PM
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3 pm amid Opposition MPs' protest over the suspension of 12 MPs, and the Lakhimpur Kheri killings.
LS Adjourned Till 2 PM
Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 PM.
Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Introduced in LS
'The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021' was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday morning. This bill proposes to link Aadhar with Voter ID.
Speaking in opposition to the bill, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "Aadhaar is only meant to be proof of residence, it's not a proof of citizenship. If you're in a position asking Aadhaar for voters, all you're getting is a document that reflects residence, not citizenship. You're potentially giving the vote to non-citizens."
LS Adjourned Till 12 Noon
Amid rampant sloganeering and protests by the opposition, Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon.
Oppn MPs to Hold March Demanding Sacking of MoS Ajay Misra Tomorrow
Opposition MPs will conduct a march from Gandhi statue in Parliament to Vijay Chowk at 12:30 pm on Tuesday, raising the demand for resignation of MoS Home Ajay Kumar Misra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri killings.
RS Adjourned Till 2 PM
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2pm following uproar by Opposition members.
Rahul Gandhi Gives Adjournment Notice Over Ladakh's Statehood
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha to discuss "Statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in Schedule VI of Consitution of India."
'Will Not Let Both Houses Function': Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena MP stated, "We will not attend the meeting called by the Government. We will demand the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Kumar Misra and revocation of suspension of 12 Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha. We will not let both Houses of Parliament function."
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