Markings to maintain physical distancing are seen on the ground outside Parliament building in New Delhi. (AP)

Parliament Today LIVE News Updates: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address parliament on the India-China border row today, shows the parliament’s list of business for the day. The minister’s address is expected to take place around 3 pm — at the beginning of the proceedings in the Lok Sabha. Singh’s statement comes after the opposition parties had raised the issue demands in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and Minister of Home, state, G Kishan Reddy will also be making statements in Lok Sabha today. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will move The Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, while Ram Vilas Paswan will move The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for consideration and passing.

In Rajya Sabha, meanwhile, Finance Minster Nirmala Sitharaman will make a statement on the circumstances which had necessitated immediate legislation by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020 are among the bills listed for business today.

This session of Parliament is being held amid strict social distancing protocols. From members arriving in masks to their seats rearranged in keeping seating with physical distancing norms, and from Opposition members’ criticism of the move to do away with Question Hour to repeated reminders by Speaker Om Birla that the House is meeting in an “extraordinary situation”, the pandemic loomed large over the proceedings on day 1.

Live Blog

Rajnath Singh to address Lok Sabha on China row. Follow LIVE updates from Parliament

08:37 (IST)15 Sep 2020

Monsoon Session: Eight Bills tabled, two pending ones get LS nod; govt says MSP will stay

The government on Monday introduced eight Bills in Lok Sabha, while two pending Bills were passed.

Five of these Bills were introduced to replace ordinances: Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020; Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill; Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill; Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill; and Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill.

The three others are new: The Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020; Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill; and Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses media as he arrives at Parliament in New Delhi (AP)

Citing a heavy legislative agenda, the government avoided the Opposition’s attempts to raise issues like the India-China border row and economic crisis on the first day of the 18-day Parliament session on Monday.

In his customary remarks before the start of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what was seen by the Opposition as a pre-emptive move, called on Parliament to send out a unanimous message that the entire country stands behind its Armed Forces. “This Parliament, particularly this session, has a special responsibility… when our brave soldiers are at the border… The faith with which they are standing, determined to protect the motherland, Parliament, and all its members, will send out a message in a unanimous voice, spirit and resolve that the country stands in support of them,” he said.

When the session began, Chowdhury tried to raise the issue of Chinese aggression at the border twice, but Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the BAC would meet on Tuesday to fix a time for discussing the issue. Chowdhury also sought to refer to The Indian Express report on the “hybrid warfare”.

During the 30-minute zero hour, the treasury benches avoided issues like the India-China border row, unemployment, migrant crisis and economic slowdown. NCP’s Supriya Sule was the only MP who raised the issue of unemployment and economic crisis. Urging the Centre to assist Maharashtra, she said: “On the first day, we could have discussed the state of economy and unemployment. I don’t see the Centre talking much about them,” she said.

Meanwhile, the government introduced eight Bills in the Lok Sabha and passed two pending Bills.

0 Comment(s) *

* The moderation of comments is automated and not cleared manually by indianexpress.com.

Parliament Live Updates: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to address Lok Sabha on China standoff

Parliament Live Updates: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to address Lok Sabha on China row

Parliament Monsoon Session Today LIVE News Updates: The 18-day Parliament Monsoon session is being held amid strict social distancing protocols. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address parliament on the India-China border row today, shows the list of business for the day.

Rajnath Singh to address Lok Sabha on China row. Follow LIVE updates from Parliament