Parliament Monsoon Session LIVE: LS, RS Adjourned Sine Die; AAP's Raghav Chadha Suspended From Rajya Sabha

Coming down heavily on the Opposition, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday said they never thought that the BJP-led Centre would agree for a discussion on Manipur violence and that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has “lost his mental balance” over the issue.

Addressing a presser, Joshi said, “Congress and other opposition parties never thought that we would agree for a discussion on Manipur…Like PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said we should be sensitive about the issue.”

In a landmark move, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced three bills in Lok Sabha to replace colonial-era laws, asserting that the proposed laws will transform the country’s criminal justice system and bring the spirit to protect the rights of the Indian citizen at the centre stage.

Shah introduced the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Bill, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) Bill, 2023 that will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively and said the changes were done to provide speedy justice and creating a legal system that keeps contemporary needs and aspirations of the people.

The Central government, on the last day of the monsoon session on Friday, introduced three important bills – replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Evidence Act — which will change the architecture of the crime and punishment system. The bills, which will now be referred to a select committee, will take a while to come into effect.

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Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, bringing down the curtains on the Monsoon session marred by disruptions over the Manipur violence issue.

The Parliament approved the amendments to the Central and integrated GST laws to levy 28 per cent tax on full face value of bets in online gaming, casinos and horse race clubs.

Rajya Sabha returned the two proposed legislations to Lok Sabha with a voice vote, without any discussion. Lok Sabha, on the other hand, approved the two bills — The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Both the bills were introduced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The amendments pertain to the insertion of a provision in the Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017, to provide clarity on the taxation of supplies in casinos, horse racing and online gaming. The amendment in IGST Act relates to inserting a provision to impose GST liability on online money gaming provided by offshore entities. Such entities would be required to get GST registration in India.

Amendments to both these bills were approved by the GST Council last week.

AAP MPs Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh have been suspended till committee of privileges files its report in Rajya Sabha.

The INDIA MPs boycotted Lok Sabha over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s suspension and marched to Dr Ambedkar’s statue in protest.

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned indefinitely.

As the Opposition marched in protest against the suspension of Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition will continue to fight against the government’s illegal deeds, adding that, they will fight both inside and outside the Parliament.

We will completely remove the Sedition law, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, adding that in a democracy everyone has a right to say their piece.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that under this bill, the government has set a goal that the conviction ratio has to be taken above 90 per cent.

The Bhartiya Suraksha Sanhita Bill has a total of 313 amendments including punishment for mob lynching can range upto death sentence. The bill also includes that the gangster Dawood Ibrahim will be declared an absconder.

The bill has been sent to the standing committee.

While presenting the Bhartiya Suraksha Sanhita Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that with this bill, three laws will be replaced and there will be a major change in the criminal justice system of the country.

The zero FIR is being codified under the Bhartiya Suraksha Sanhita Bill. According to the bill, videography is to be made compulsory for search and seizure and forensic evidence would be compulsory for all crimes carrying sentence of 7 years or more.

Union Minister and BJP MP Kiren Rijiju said, “Opposition parties didn’t let the Parliament function, under the pretext of Manipur over the past few days. Yesterday, when the PM spoke on Manipur and the entire northeast, the entire Opposition had walked out.”

“All the NDA MPs from the northeast have condemned this and we are also going to write a letter to the PM that he spoke on Manipur and the northeast in detail yesterday..” he added.

Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Bhartiya Suraksha Sanhita bill. He also introduced amendments to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Chapter deals with crimes against women and children. Chapter 2 deals with murder and similar crimes.

Three bills are being sent to the standing committee.

Leaders of the INDIA bloc have decided to boycott the Lok Sabha against the suspension of LoP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury with a march to Ambedkar statue at 12:30 pm.

Proceedings of the Lower House have been adjourned till 12:30 pm.

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha have resumed and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

The Opposition Bloc, INDIA held a meeting at the Rajya Sabha LoP’s office in Parliament.