The Lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed a heated altercation between Congress leader & former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who recently switched from the grand old party to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The war of words between Channi and Bittu also led to brief adjournment of the House. Moments later, Bittu released a video message and accused the former of misleading and misguiding the nation.

Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, said that the former Punjab chief minister was utterly wrong in claiming that the farmers were booked under NSA. He termed it an outrageous ploy to demean and mock the farmers.

The matter of delay in the elections of 42 municipal councils of Punjab has reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In this regard, a hearing will be held today in the High Court, in which the Punjab government will present its side. On the previous hearing, the court had sought a response from the government in this regard. In this matter, Beant Singh, a resident of Malerkotla, has filed a public interest petition in the court.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister of Power, Manohar Lal Khattar, on Wednesday assured Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of the Central government's support on projects related to the power sector and urban development schemes.

"Had a fruitful discussion on various issues related to Assam's power sector and housing development projects. Noted the progress of smart metering and loss reduction works under RDSS in Assam and appreciated the state's efforts," the Union Minister said after the meeting.

Sarma took up the issue of the smart distribution project for the city of Guwahati and also sought consideration of the state's request of the state on the pending issue of the Re-structured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP).

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a strong rebuttal to the Opposition’s charge of the Union Budget being ‘politically biased’ towards the non-NDA states, said that all states have got equal and dedicated funds allocation.

“If any state is not named in the Budget speech, this doesn’t mean that they have been left out,” the Finance Minister said in Rajya Sabha.

Further, hitting out at the Opposition parties, she said that a deliberate attempt was made by parties including Congress to give an impression that nothing is being given to states ruled by non-NDA parties.

"I would challenge the Congress party, in each of their budget speeches, have they named every state of this country. This is an outrageous allegation," Sitharaman said.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday criticised the Union Budget for 2024-25, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, for neglecting the concerns of the women, poor, and farmers.

He said that Punjab's interests have been completely disregarded in the Budget.

He highlighted the alarming consequences of slashing fertiliser subsidies in FY 2024-25. “This drastic reduction will not only burden farmers of the nation but also adversely affect the Punjab economy, where agriculture is a vital sector,” he said.

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Maharashtra from July 28 to 30.

She will visit Pune, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nanded and Latur during her visit.

Among various programmes, she will attend the function to celebrate the Centenary Year of the Maharashtra Legislative Council on July 29 in Mumbai.

Her programmes planned for July 28 include a visit to the Mahalaxmi temple at Kolhapur, the inauguration of the mineral water plant at Savitri Mahila Audyogik Sahakari Sanstha and the extension building of Shobhatai Kore Warana Mahila Sahakari Patsanstha (credit society).

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday presented her seventh straight Budget that would lay a roadmap for 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, focusing on employment, skilling, agriculture and manufacturing.

The first budget under Modi 3.0 seeks an economic vision that balances fiscal prudence. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's 13th straight Budget since 2014, including two interim ones

The Union Budget focuses on supporting consumption via higher allocation for the rural economy, taxation reforms, infrastructure push, thrust on local manufacturing, job and skill creation and an increase in production-linked incentive (PLI) allocation to more labour-intensive sectors.

In a major push to employment generation, the Finance Minister announced three schemes. "Government to set up three schemes for employment generation. Scheme for first-timers to provide one-month wage to all persons newly entering the workforce in all sectors. First-time employment scheme to benefit 2.1 crore lakh youths," said the FM.

RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday criticised the Nitish Kumar government for the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar.

Lalu Prasad Yadav blamed the "double engine" government for the current state of affairs, highlighting concerns over safety and governance.

He criticised the Nitish Kumar government for its inability to control the increasing incidents of crime in Bihar.

“Incidents like murder, rape, gang rape, and loot are regularly taking place in Bihar, and Nitish Kumar’s government is failing to control the situation. The criminals are fearless in Bihar,” Lalu Prasad Yadav said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla appealed to all parties to cooperate and engage in meaningful discussions during the Budget Session of Parliament starting on Monday.

In a post on X, Speaker Birla appealed to all the leaders for cooperation and stated, "The Budget Session of the 18th Lok Sabha starts today. I hope all the Members of Parliament will cooperate and hold meaningful discussions. We will collectively contribute to the nation’s progress."

The Budget Session is expected to run until August 12 and on the first day of the session on Monday, Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey.

This session will mainly focus on financial business related to the Union Budget for 2024-25 as on the second day, the Finance Minister will introduce the Union Budget in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi extended their birthday wishes to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who turned 82 on Sunday.

Taking to the microblogging site X, the PM wrote, “Birthday wishes to Congress President and the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji. Praying for his long and healthy life.”

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “A very happy birthday, @kharge ji! Your tireless service and dedication to the people’s cause is an inspiration. Wishing you much love and good health.”

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, on Saturday, sounded the poll bugle in Haryana by launching “Kejriwal's guarantees” for the state under the helm of BJP for two consecutive terms.

Accompanied by party MPs Sanjay Singh and Sandeep Pathak, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Sunita Kejriwal launched guarantees of giving free electricity round the clock like Punjab and Delhi, employment to every youth, education to every child, free medical treatment, and Rs 1,000 per month to every woman above 18 years of age.

The upcoming Assembly polls in Haryana will likely be in October.

AAP's state unit chief Sushil Gupta said that the party is geared up to contest all 90 Assembly seats, fight the elections strongly and form a government.

On Thursday, the AAP had announced that it will contest all the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, where people want "badlav" (change).

Former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia will not appear before the SIT on Saturday as well. Majithia's lawyer Damanbir Singh Sobti has informed the SIT about this through a letter. In the letter sent to the SIT, it is stated that Majithia has reached Delhi to consult with his team of lawyers due to the appearance of an important case in the Supreme Court on July 23, so he cannot appear before the SIT.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested the Congress legislator from Haryana’s Sonipat, Surender Panwar, from Gurugram in a case of illegal mining.

The ED had conducted raids at his residences and office in January on charges of illegal mining in the state.

Besides, Panwar, the ED In January had conducted raids and recovered Rs 5 crore cash, foreign-made arms and 300 cartridges at locations related to former Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislator Dilbag Singh also in connection with an illegal mining case.

In the run-up to the upcoming Assembly polls in Haryana, likely slated in October, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal will unveil 'Kejriwal's guarantees' in Panchkula on Saturday, AAP's Haryana unit chief Sushil Gupta said on Friday.

“We don't make promises like the BJP or the Congress, we give guarantees. These will be Arvind Kejriwal's guarantees, not Narendra Modi's hollow guarantees," Gupta told the media.

On the contentious issue of sharing of river water with Punjab, Gupta said, "Haryana should get water. Every state should get water. Distribution of water is the job of the Central government, and the Prime Minister.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, should be made the brand ambassador for population control in the country as a particular community only listens to leaders of the Congress party.

CM Sarma further asserted that Assam will become a Muslim majority state by 2041.

Addressing the press here, CM Sarma claimed, “Anybody can travel to a Muslim-dominated village and ask the people which leader's advice they would like to listen to and the answer would be Rahul Gandhi. They will not listen to advice given by Himanta Biswa Sarma.”

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud on Thursday administered the oath of office to two new judges of the Supreme Court.

Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan took oath as Supreme Court judges taking the apex court to its full working strength of 34 judges.

Last week, the SC Collegium, headed by CJI Chandrachud, recommended the elevation of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court's Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Madras High Court’s Acting Chief Justice R. Mahadevan to the top court.

Acting swiftly on the Collegium’s recommendations, the Centre on Tuesday cleared the appointment of Justices N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan to the apex court.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the CBI in the alleged liquor policy scam.

A bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna also reserved its verdict on CM Kejriwal’s plea seeking release on interim bail.

Earlier, the Delhi HC had asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its response by July 17 to Kejriwal’s plea assailing the validity of his arrest by the agency and the subsequent custody.

On June 26, Kejriwal was formally arrested by the CBI when he was produced before Rouse Avenue Court and was sent to three-day CBI custody for interrogation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) have arrested Sanjay Badaya, a close aide of former Water Supply Minister Mahesh Joshi, in the alleged Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam case.

This is the fourth arrest made by the ED in this case under sections of the money laundering law.

ED sources said that Badaya was produced before the court late on Tuesday evening and has been remanded for four days. The officials said that Badaya was called to the ED office at 9 a.m. and questioned for about five hours.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on bail pleas of senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the alleged liquor policy scam.

A bench presided over by Justice BR Gavai asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file their reply in the matter by July 29.

“Issue notice returnable on July 29. We will have this on Monday after two weeks,” ordered the Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and KV Viswanathan.

Sisodia’s counsel argued that the senior AAP leader has been incarcerated for 16 months and the trial remained at the same stage as it was in October 2023.

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, on Monday summoned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal to appear before it within 15 days and submit his reply to the allegations levelled by a group of Akali leaders against him.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the five High Priests led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in Amritsar.

The summoning of Badal comes in the wake of rebel Akali leaders who sought an apology from the Akal Takht Jathedar for sacrilege incidents during the Akali Dal’s 10-year stint in Punjab from 2007.

Vikram Misri, a 1989 batch IFS officer, on Monday assumed charge from Vinay Mohan Kwatra as India's next Foreign Secretary.

"TeamMEA extends a warm welcome to Foreign Secretary Misri and wishes him a successful tenure ahead," the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X.

The government had announced Misri's appointment on June 28 as Kwatra's extension of service, approved on March 12, ended July 14.

Accordingly, the tenure of Misri, as Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat, was also curtailed.

The first statement of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has come out in the Jalandhar by-election. The Chief Minister has said on X that congratulations to all for the great victory of the Aam Aadmi Party in the by-election of the Jalandhar West Vidhan Sabha constituency. The victory with a big lead shows that people across Punjab are extremely happy with the work of our government. The Chief Minister announced that as per the promise made during the by-election, we will make Jalandhar West also the best. Congratulations Mohinder Bhagat.

The trends of the 13th round of voting for the Zinni elections of Jalandhar West Constituency have come out. In this, AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat has won this seat. They got 55246 votes, Congress candidate Surinder Kaur got 16757 votes, BSP candidate Binder Kumar got 734 votes, Akali candidate Surjit Kaur got 1242 votes and BJP candidate Sheetal Angural got 17921 votes.

AAP candidate from Punjab's Jalandhar (West) reserved seat, Mohinder Bhagat, has been leading over Congress' Surinder Kaur with 27,168 votes, a handsome margin, as per early trends.

BJP's Sheetal Angural, whose defection from AAP necessitated the bypoll, is currently third.

Congress candidate Surinder Kaur, the former senior Deputy Mayor and five-time councillor of Jalandhar got 9,204 votes. In comparison, Angural got 6,557 votes, as per the Election Commission of India's sixth round of counting on Saturday.

Vote counting for Himachal Pradesh's bypoll for three Assembly constituencies began on Saturday, with 13 candidates in the fray for the contest mainly between the state-ruling Congress and the main Opposition BJP.

As much as 70.7 per cent voting was recorded in Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh seats on Wednesday.

The polling was conducted to fill vacancies created by the resignation of incumbent members, all Independents, who are now in the fray as BJP nominees.

In a straight contest between traditional arch-rivals, the Congress and the BJP, the stakes are high for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu with his wife Kamlesh Thakur making her electoral debut from Dehra in Kangra district.

This constituency was carved out after delimitation in 2010 and the Congress has never won this seat.

Vote count for Punjab's lone Assembly constituency -- Jalandhar West -- began on Saturday, with 15 candidates in the fray for a multi-cornered contest largely among the state-ruling AAP, the Congress, and the BJP.

Polling was held on Wednesday and saw 54.98 per cent turnout.

The seat fell vacant with resignation of Sheetal Angural as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator. He's again in the fray, now as the BJP nominee.

In a battle in the Jalandhar West (reserved) Assembly constituency, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's prestige is at stake.

Hours after the Supreme Court ordered Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to be released on interim bail in the ED's money laundering case, a court here on Friday extended, till July 25, his judicial custody in the corruption case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged liquor policy scam.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order upon the expiry of the previously granted judicial custody.

Further, the court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to supply a copy of the prosecution complaint to CM Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the bail plea of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha member and former DCW chief Swati Maliwal.

A bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta said that at this stage, the possibility of tampering with the evidence or influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out by the accused, who happened to be the personal secretary of Delhi CM.

Earlier on May 27, a court here refused to release CM Kejriwal's aide on bail. Bibhav Kumar’s counsel contended that Maliwal went to the CM’s residence with the intent to malign his aide. Questioning the three-day delay in lodging the FIR, he argued that Bibhav Kumar was not present at the CM’s residence at the time of the incident and Maliwal had no appointment.

Kumar was arrested on May 18 in connection with the assault on Maliwal on May 13 and produced late at night before a local court which sent him to five days of police custody.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday hailed the Supreme Court for granting interim bail to its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, and called it a "victory of truth".

AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, in their first reaction to CM Kejriwal's bail, hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and also accused it of hatching "another conspiracy" to keep the AAP convenor in jail.

On reports that CM Kejriwal will not walk out of prison despite getting relief from the Apex Court, she said that the BJP was well aware of such an order and hence it got the Delhi CM arrested by the investigating agency CBI.

In a big relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered him to be released on interim bail in connection with the money laundering case linked to the excise policy case.

Pronouncing its verdict, a bench, headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, referred to a larger bench CM Kejriwal’s plea against his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for an authoritative pronouncement on the questions of law involved.

However, CM Kejriwal will not be able to walk out of jail since he was arrested by the CBI on June 26.

Supreme Court judge, Justice Sanjay Kumar on Thursday withdrew himself from hearing the bail plea of senior AAP leader, Manish Sisodia, in the alleged liquor policy scam.

At the outset, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, leading a three-judge Bench, informed senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, about Justice Kumar's recusal.

“Dr Singhvi, my brother Justice Kumar will not like to hear this matter for personal reasons,” said Justice Khanna.

Ultimately, the matter was directed to be listed in the week commencing July 15 before a different Bench after obtaining the directions of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who is the master of the roster.

Another bench will hear the matter on July 15 after a Supreme Court judge refused to hear Manish Sisodia's plea seeking reinstatement of bail pleas in the excise policy case.

A voter turnout of over 71 per cent was recorded on Wednesday till 7 pm in the bypoll for three Assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh that were largely peaceful, officials said.

The Nalagarh constituency recorded the highest polling of 78 per cent, followed by Hamirpur (67.7 per cent) and Dehra (65.42 per cent), according to the Election Commission of India.

A voter turnout of 30 per cent was recorded in the first four hours for three Assembly seats.

As many as 13 candidates are in the fray and the 2.59 lakh voters were eligible to cast their votes.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation (IPD) to the two-day 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum meeting which begins in Russia's St Petersburg on Thursday.

The forum is being held with the theme of 'Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security'.

The Indian delegation also includes Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Rajya Sabha MP Shambhu Sharan Patel, Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Modi, among other officials.

"Leading an IPD to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Looking forward to strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation with BRICS and the invitee countries. Eager to meet and connect with the vibrant Indian diaspora during this visit," Birla posted on X.

The AAP in Uttar Pradesh will take out a Tiranga Yatra in Lucknow on August 14, to mobilise its cadres.

The AAP will also revive its Tiranga Shakhas, weekly meetings of locals through which the party had, till last year, been implementing various social projects.

The AAP had become almost inactive when party MP and UP incharge Sanjay Singh, was imprisoned.

While the AAP did not contest any seat in UP during the Lok Sabha elections, it had campaigned actively for INDIA bloc partners Samajwadi Party and the Congress.