One nation, one election bill referred to Joint Parliamentary Committee: Speaker OM Birla

 As INDIA bloc opposed the One Nation, One Election bill, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju slammed Congress saying, “Does they mean to say that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s government for so long was illegal”

Speaking with ANI, Rijiju noted that India had One Nation and One Election for two decades after independence, primarily during the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s government. He further alleged Congress of “misusing” Article 356 and holding separate elections.

“One Nation, One Election is a very important issue for the nation. It’s not for the party or any other individual, it’s for the country. When the bill for One Nation, One Election will be introduced, I hope that the country will see Congress play a negative game. When India got independence, for 2 decades India had One Nation, One Election. It was only after Congress misused Article 356, then there were different elections between Parliament and some of the states…Does Congress mean to say that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s government for so long was illegal because that time, it was One Nation, One Election?” Rijiju said.

Amit Shah Poposes Review of One Nation, One Election by Joint Parliamentary Committee

One nation, one election’ is direct attack on federalism: Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai

Shiv Sena (UBT) opposes ‘one nation, one election’ bill in Lok Sabha

‘One nation, one election’ bill hits basic structure of constitution’: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee

The oppostion rejected the ‘one nation, one elction bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union and law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. 

Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Union Law Minister of India has tabled the One Nation One Election Bill in the Lower House of the Parliament during the ongoing Winter Session. The bill aims to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies across the country. The bill has been tabled in the Lok Sabha amid a lot of ruckus and chaos from the Opposition.

BJP to observe Anti-Democracy Day next year as it marks 50 years of emergency: JP Nadda

‘One Nation One Election will lead to Centralism’: Congress

BJP has issued three Line whip to Rajya Sabha MPs for voting for election to the Committee on AIIMS, Bhubaneswar & Welfare of Other Backward Classes Committee will be held on Thursday, the 19th December, 2024 from 11.00 a.m. to 2.00pm in Room no. 63, Samvidhan Sadan.
 

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake landed in Bihar earlier today and paid a visit to the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya.

Upon his arrival, he was received by senior government officials at the Gaya Airport.
The Sri Lankan President was warmly received by Buddhist monks as he went inside the Temple premises.

The Mahabodhi Temple, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site holds great importance for the followers of Buddhism. As per the website of Bihar Tourism, the temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, marking the location where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi onShiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi opp Tuesday expressed her opposition to the “One Nation, One Election” Bill, calling it an attempt to centralise power at the expense of federalism and the Constitution.

Speaking to ANI, Chaturvedi slammed the bill, stating, “The One Nation, One Election is being brought in the guise of centralising power again.” She pointed out that this issue is being discussed extensively in Parliament, with the Lok Sabha having already spent two days on a detailed debate on the Constitution. The discussion is expected to continue in the Rajya Sabha.

Congress MP Manish Tewari has formally opposed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. In his notice to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha under Rule 72, Tewari expressed strong objections, citing threats to India’s federal structure and democratic principles. He emphasized his concerns about the bill’s constitutional implications.
 

While addressing Rajya Sabha, Union Minister JP Nadda said, “Because of PM Modi Jammu and Kashmir became completely a part of India without any obstruction”

National Testing Agency (NTA) to be restructured in 2025, ten new posts being created: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on exam reforms. 

In his debate speech in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister JP Nadda paid tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Nadda praised the visionary thinking of the Constitution’s architect. “Baba Saheb Ambedkar was very far-sighted,” he said, recognizing the foresight with which Ambedkar laid the foundation for India’s democratic structure.
 

Completing 75 Years of Democracy is no less than festival: JP Nadda in RS

The Trinamool Congress will oppose the introduction of the constitutional amendment bill in the lower house for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously, party leader Saugata Roy said on Tuesday.

Terming the bill as “anti-federal”, the Lok Sabha MP told reporters in Parliament premises that “we shall oppose it.” The constitutional amendment bill for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously has been listed for introduction in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday and could be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses.

Some schools in Delhi have received bomb threats this morning. Schools in South Delhi and Northwest Delhi have been threatened. Indian Public School in South Delhi and a school in Saraswati Vihar in Northwest Delhi have received threats. After receiving the information, police, fire brigade and bomb squad were sent to the school. School premises have been evacuated, and an investigation is being carried out: Delhi Police

Amit Shah’s Lok Sabha Address Likely at 5 pm

A 55-year-old man and his seven-year-old grandson were injured when a car, driven by a 17-year-old boy, struck them and other pedestrians in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar on Monday.

According to police, a PCR call was received regarding the accident, prompting a swift response. Upon reaching the scene, officers found the offending vehicle, a Santro car, in an accidental condition. Initial inquiries revealed the vehicle had struck two pedestrians, both of whom sustained injuries.

The injured were identified as 55-year-old Rajesh Kumar Kamra and his 7-year-old grandson, Mannat. The family members of the victims took them to BJRM Hospital for treatment.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs will hold the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives (SRs) in Beijing on December 18.

During the meeting, the two Special Representatives will discuss the management of peace and tranquility in the border areas and explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release.

In a press release, MEA said, “Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor and India’s Special Representative (SR) on the India-China boundary question, will hold the 23rd meeting of the SRs in Beijing on 18 December 2024 with his Chinese counterpart H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.”

The new BJP president, who will succeed incumbent J P Nadda, is likely to be elected by the end of February, according to a senior party functionary.

Party sources said the ongoing organisational election is on track to complete the polling process in more than half of its state units by mid-January, an exercise that will unveil the process of electing its new national president.

A senior leader said the tenure of nearly 60 per cent of the BJP’s state unit presidents is over, and their replacements are likely to be in place by the middle of the next month.

The BJP’s constitution stipulates that organisational polls should be completed in at least half of its state units before the process to elect the national president is started.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday flagged off ‘Fit India’ cycling movement at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi.

Sports minister Mandaviya said that the movement has been launched with the aim of keeping the people of the country fit to build a developed nation.
Participating in the cycling ride from the stadium to Raisina Hills and back, Mandaviya encouraged people to make cycling part of their lives.

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday submitted a formal notice to oppose the introduction of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha.
The bill, which aims to implement the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, is scheduled to be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday.

Tewari, in his notice addressed to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha under Rule 72 of the Rules of Procedure, expressed strong objections to the bill, calling it a threat to India’s federal structure and democratic principles.
“My objections to the proposed Bill are based on serious concerns regarding constitutionalism and constitutionality,” he stated.

Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is expected to introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, paving the way for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which aims to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies across the country.

Additionally, the law minister is likely to introduce Bills to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, as per the day’s schedule.

These bills seek to align assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry for simultaneous elections.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from December 17 to 21, 2024.
According to the President’s Secretariat, during this visit, the President will stay at Rashtrapati Nilayam, Bolarum, Secunderabad.

On December 17, President Murmu will attend and grace the convocation ceremony of AIIMS in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh, the release mentioned.

On December 18, she will inaugurate/lay the foundation of various initiatives at Rashtrapati Nilayam, Bolarum, Secunderabad, as per the release.

Eight cadres of the banned militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (People’s War Group) were arrested from Manipur’s Kakching district in connection with the recent killing of two migrant labourers from Bihar, police said on Tuesday.

Search operations were launched across Manipur on December 14 to apprehend those who were involved in the killing of the two labourers, and an active member of the proscribed outfit was first apprehended from Kakching Lamkhai area on Monday, a police statement said.

“From his inputs, a police team raided a camp located at the Kakching Mamang Ching Laipham Loknung area and arrested seven more cadres of KCP (PWG) from there,” the police said.

According to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Delhi’s air quality has worsened further, with levels again breaching the 400 mark and falling into the ‘severe’ category.
At 7 AM on Tuesday, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 421. AQI values in areas including Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Alipur ranged from 400 to 470, signifying hazardous air quality.

Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classified the local air quality in the “Very Poor” category. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported the minimum temperature in Delhi as 5 degrees Celsius.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said his government has planned to set up a new cybercrime wing within the state police to deal with the new age challenges.

Addressing the valedictory session of the 69th Police Duty Meet here on Monday, he said cyber fraud, digital arrest and investment fraud were increasing daily.

“Keeping these in mind, our government is determined to strengthen and modernise the cyber cell of the police department. For this, a goal has been set to establish cyber police stations in all the districts. A cybercrime branch will also be created in the state for high-level investigation and monitoring of cyber crimes with a senior officer in charge,” Majhi said.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Tuesday just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean, the USGS said.

The quake occurred at a depth of 57 kilometers and was centred near Port Vila, the largest city in the island nation.

It was not immediately clear whether it caused any damage.

The jolt was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock at the same location.

Vanuatu government websites were offline in the aftermath of the quake.

A fire broke out at a plastic factory in outer Delhi’s Bawana area on Tuesday but no one was injured, an official said.

“We received a call at 6.19 am and 15 fire tenders were pressed into service,” the official of Delhi Fire Service said.

There are no reports of anyone injured so far, he said. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said all security forces and agencies should make joint efforts to completely eliminate Left Wing Extremism by March 2026.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will play a very important role in this effort, Shah said on Monday while chairing a review meeting to assess the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) situation in Chhattisgarh.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Chhattisgarh’s chief secretary and director general of police, and director generals of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) were present in the meeting, an official release said.

A man killed down his wife’s lover after he found the two together in his house, Delhi Police said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Ajmat has been apprehended by the police.

Information was received at Shastri Park police station after which the police team reached the spot.
The victim was taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital and after a check-up was referred to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. He was not in a position to provide any statement at that time.

After a gap of five years, India and China will hold the Special Representatives dialogue on the boundary question in Beijing on Wednesday and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will lead the Indian delegation at the talks. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), making the announcement on the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue, said the two sides will discuss the management of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explore a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable” solution to the boundary question.

 The Centre’s air quality panel for Delhi-NCR on Monday imposed the strictest Stage 4 curbs under the winter air pollution control plan, including a ban on all construction activities, as the region’s air quality deteriorated to ‘severe’ due to unfavourable weather conditions.

Stage 4 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for winters also include a ban on the entry of polluting trucks carrying non-essential goods into Delhi and mandatory shifting of school classes, except those for X and XII, to hybrid mode.

Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), which was 379 at 4 pm, breached the 400 mark around 10 pm amid extremely calm wind conditions and the buildup of an inversion layer, which adversely affects the vertical mixing height – the height up to which pollutants can disperse.