Naidu briefs leaders on proposed changes in Rajya Sabha rules, procedures
New Delhi: Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the general purposes committee and briefed political leaders on proposed changes in rules and procedures and conduct of business in the upper house.
Rajya Sabha Secretary General Desh Deepak Verma briefed the panel on the Report of Rules Review Committee which contained 77 amendments to the existing rules, besides 124 new rules for consideration.
The review of rules seeks to impart clarity to several ambiguous provisions of the present Rules, besides incorporating certain directions given by the chairman and addressing certain eventualities not envisaged earlier like voting/division when the House is not in order.
Leaders of 23 political parties in the Upper House attended the meeting here.
It may be recalled that Naidu has earlier desired a comprehensive review of the existing rules, particularly which seem to be inadequate with the passage of time and are not very specific and require suitable amendments to facilitate smooth functioning of the House and increased opportunities for participation for members in the proceedings.
After coming into being in 1952, the Council of States had adopted the Rules of the Legislative Council that in existence earlier till regular Rules came into force effective July, 1964.
The general purposes committee has so far submitted 13 reports based on which the present rules were amended from time to time and the present review undertaken is the most comprehensive since 1964.
Naidu constituted a two-member Rules Review Committee in May, 2018 for recommending changes to the current rules.
The Rules Review Committee comprising former Secretary General of Rajya Sabha V K Agnihotri and former Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice Dinesh Bhardwaj has held 51 meetings with various stakeholders, including with officials of Rajya Sabha Secretariat before submitting its report.
The existing Rules of Rajya Sabha contain 303 Rules regarding various aspects of functioning of the House. The amendments to the existing Rules and new Rules on being approved by the Rules Review Committee will be incorporated without disturbing the present numbering, an official statement said.
The next meeting of the general purposes committee will be held after the second part of the Budget Session of Parliament for a detailed consideration of the proposed changes.
Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Leader of the House Thawar Chand Gehlot, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, P C Thakur (BJP), A Navneeth Krishnan (AIADMK), Tiruchy Siva (DMK), Derek O'Brien (TMC), Ramgopal Yadav (SP) and Prasanna Acharya (BJD) were among the leaders who attended the meeting.
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ED raids Kolkata Police deputy commissioner, businessman in PMLA probe
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and a local businessman as part of a money laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his linked syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises of Biswas, including his residence in Ballygunge area and one location of the businessman named Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, have been raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kamdar has been taken by the officials to the local ED office for questioning. Biswas, chief coordinator and nodal officer of the West Bengal and Kolkata Police welfare committee, was not present at his premises, they said.
The action is linked to a money laundering case against an alleged local criminal named Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal probe agency had conducted the first round of searches in this case on April 1.
The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act violations. The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in the state of West Bengal and generated funds illegally by way of syndicate operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence in Kankulia road near Golpark of Kolkata and is currently on the run.
The ED has issued summons to Podder but he has failed to join the investigation so far, according to the agency.
West Bengal will have a two phase poll on April 23 and April 29.
