NA sittings will continue with a limited number of its members assembling physically and the rest joining through a virtual platform…reports Asian Lite News
South African Parliament said its lower house, the National Assembly (NA), will host sittings in a much smaller chamber inside the precinct, with some lawmakers to participate online, after the original chamber was burned down in last week’s fire accident.
The fire, which lasted more than 70 hours from January 2, severely damaged the NA building in the legislative capital of Cape Town and completely burned down the NA chamber, reports Xinhua news agency.
It also caused extensive damage to the century-old Old Assembly building that houses the National Council of Provinces, the upper house.
A meeting, which brought together parliament leaders and political parties to discuss alternative venues for sittings of the 400-member house, decided the NA sittings to be held in the Good Hope Chamber within Parliament precinct, Parliament said in a statement.
Good Hope Chamber, which used to host legislative sittings between 1854 and 1885 in the colonial period, has a seating capacity of 170 persons but only permits 70 in a sitting under Covid-19 social distancing measures.
Parliament said it will continue NA sittings with a limited number of its members assembling physically and the rest joining through a virtual platform, a method it has been using since May 2020 due to Covid-19.
The work of repairing or rebuilding the NA will take longer, according to it.
Parliament’s flagship program, the State of the Nation Address, will be held at the historic City Hall of Cape Town on February 10.
The fire service of South Africa’s legislative capital Cape Town said that the blaze at Parliament, which erupted two days ago, has flared up again…reports Asian Lite News
In a statement, the service said that the void beneath the roof sheeting of the building of the National Assembly, the lower house, was on fire and about 34 firefighters were busy battling it, reports Xinhua news agency.
On Monday morning, the city government said the fire service has scaled down resources from 9 p.m. on Sunday night, and the fire in the building was under control except on the fourth floor, which was still smouldering.
The fire has affected both the National Assembly Wing and the Old Assembly Wing built in 1885, which houses the upper house National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
The old wing’s fire was contained on Sunday.
The interior of the National Assembly building was “extensively destroyed,” and the structural ceiling of the National Assembly Wing collapsed.
The fire gutted the third floor of the old wing, including the office space and the gym, and its roof partly collapsed.
The fire led to the “complete burning down” of the chamber of the National Assembly, Chairperson of the NCOP Amos Masondo told reporters here.
It is “one of the biggest losses” caused by the fire, said Masondo.
The lower house’s chamber in the National Assembly building built between 1983 and 1985 was used to host plenary sittings of the National Assembly and the joint sittings of the two houses.
Masondo, however, said some important sections were saved, including NCOP Chamber and offices, the Parliament Library, the Museum including artworks and heritage objects as well as the Keiskama tapestry, an embroidery telling the history of South Africa on the ground floor of the Old Assembly Building.
He said the multi-agency and multi-pronged investigations are underway and will be in full swing once the whole building is declared safe and handed over to the investigation team.
“We wish to assure all the people in South Africa that we will leave no stone unturned to enable appropriate actions to be taken by all relevant authorities,” said Masondo.
According to him, a multidisciplinary team of professional engineers has arrived in Parliament to determine the cause of the fire, the extent of damage, safety of the building, and the estimated cost as well as timelines for repairs.
South African Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia De Lille also told reporters that the team of engineers includes electrical, structural and mechanical engineers, and they focus on repairs that need to be done, the cost of the repairs and the timeframe for the repairs.
A fire expert, together with a fire forensic team, on Monday started to determine where exactly the fire started and a preliminary report is expected to be presented by Friday morning, she said.
The cause of the blaze is still unknown and one person has been arrested in connection.
Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo said the suspect is also expected to be charged under the National Key Points Act, which protects sites of strategic importance. Further details were not immediately available.
In a statement on Sunday night, South Africa’s parliament confirmed that there had been “significant damage” to the New Assembly Wing of the building, which includes the National Assembly chamber where lawmakers sit. It also said some offices had been “severely gutted”.
Santosh Kumar Pathak analyses whether the ongoing bitterness between the ruling party and the opposition finally end in 2022?
In a democracy like India which is based on the parliamentary ruling system, one of the most burning questions in 2022 is whether Parliament will be able to function smoothly? Will the work in both the Houses of Parliament take place in a peaceful manner in the coming year instead of the constant din and ruckus by the opposition parties?
Will the ongoing bitterness between the ruling party and the opposition finally end in 2022? Will all parties together agree to run the House smoothly or not? Given the current political atmosphere in the country and the recent developments taking place, all these questions do not seem to evoke a positive response.
Talking about the sessions of Parliament in 2022, the first session will begin with the Budget Session. For the last several years, the Budget Session now begins in the last week of January which proceeds with the President’s address followed by the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1. Normally this session is held in two phases till May.
The first phase of the session begins with the President’s address followed by debate on the Union Budget presented by the Finance Minister and then the Union government gets it passed on the floor of the House. The Union government makes all requisite efforts to run Parliament with the cooperation of all parties present in the House. Although many times in the past such efforts have failed and the uproar by the opposition has continued. Amid the din, the government has been able to pass the Budget as well as the motion of thanks to the President’s Address.
Even as the Budget session is on, the poll campaign will also be at its peak in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. All party leaders across different party lines would be levelling allegations and counter-allegations against each other. In such a situation, the elections are likely to dominate the proceedings in Parliament as well.
In view of this, it can be said that in the first phase of the first session of Parliament (Budget session) in 2022, if the political parties do not agree, then there is bound to be a ruckus. However, if the election results are in favour of the ruling party BJP, then the second phase of the Budget Session can go on peacefully.
The second session of Parliament, known as the Monsoon Session, is usually held in July-August. The impact of the Presidential election to be held in July and the Vice-President’s election in August 2022 will have bearing on the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
A few months after the formation of new governments in all the five poll-bound states, the impact of the election results will also be clear during this session. If the poll results come in favour of the BJP, the opposition is bound to appear weak and if the results go against the BJP, the opposition will be seen aggressively cornering the government in Parliament.
The construction of the new Parliament House is likely to be completed by November 2022 and hence the last session of Parliament, i.e., the Winter Session in 2022 will be held in the new Parliament House. During this session, the state Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will be at its peak and its impact will be visible in both the Houses of Parliament.
There has been a lack of communication and trust between the ruling government and the opposition parties which was clearly evident during the recent Parliament session. Therefore, despite the consensus reached many times during the Business Advisory Committee meetings regarding the functioning of the House, there was ruckus on the floor of the House.
How big a challenge it is to run Parliament smoothly in 2022 can be gauged from the recent statement given by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on December 22, the last day of the recently adjourned Winter session of Parliament. He had said that Parliament must become the centre of discussion and dialogue so from time-to-time he will keep interacting with all the parties.
Sometimes the treasury and opposition benches reach a consensus while at other times they don’t. The Lok Sabha Speaker said that he would continue to make efforts to run the House without ruckus and hoped that it would yield positive results in the future.
During this session, the House had 18 sessions with 83 hours 12 minutes. The productivity of the House was recorded at 82 per cent while 18 hours and 46 minutes were lost due to protests, reports Asian Lite News
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned sine die on Wednesday, a day ahead of schedule. Soon after the House resembled at 11 a.m., Speaker Om Birla said that the House was heading towards the closure of the winter session.
Addressing the members, he said that during this session, the House had 18 sessions with 83 hours 12 minutes. The productivity of the House was recorded at 82 per cent while 18 hours and 46 minutes were lost due to protests.
“During this period, 12 Bills were introduced in the House while nine Bills were passed which includes the withdrawal of the three farm laws, Bills related to extension of the service tenure of the Directors of Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Amendment) Bill and Supplementary Demands of grants,” Birla informed the House, adding that on December 2, the House recorded the highest productivity of 204 per cent.
He also said that during the winter session, a total of 91 starred questions were replied to by the government, 563 questions were answered during the ‘Question Hour’ while several important issues were discussed under Rule 377.
The Speaker informed that 44 reports of the Department-related Standing Committee were presented in the House and 2,058 papers were laid by the Ministers.
“The House also discussed the situation of Covid-19 and climate change. The discussion on Covid was 12-hour long in which 99 members participated and shared their experiences with the House. The discussion on climate change was held for over six hours and the discussion remained inconclusive,” the Speaker said.
He also informed that a six-member Mongolian parliamentary delegation led by Mongolian Parliament Chairman Gombojav Zandanshatar visited Parliament and witnessed the proceedings of Lok Sabha on December 1.
The House also continued its discussion on the Private Member Bills. The discussions were held on the Bill brought by the BJP Member Janardan Singh Sigriwal and on the Compulsory Voting and discussion on the perks of the Aaganwadi workers brought by the BSP Member Ritesh Pandey, the Lok Sabha Speaker said, adding that the debate remained inconclusive.
Birla thanked the Secretary General and all parliamentary staff for their cooperation during the running of the House. After playing the national song ‘Vande Matram’, he adjourned the House sine die.
The opposition members, since last week, continued their tirade against the government and staged protests demanding the sacking of Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Misra Teni from the Union Cabinet in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident.
Speaker slams protests
Expressing anger at the Members of Parliament who storm into the Well of the House and protest, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said it cannot be a part of the tradition to protest in this way and even if there was any tradition, then it is wrong and should be stopped.
Talking to mediapersons after the end of the winter session of Parliament, Om Birla said that he tried to run the House smoothly.
The Speaker said that he converses with all political parties from time to time so that the House can become the centre of discussion.
“At times we reach a conclusion and at times we do not,” he added. Om Birla said that he will continue to try to run the House without disruptions. He hoped that his efforts will bring positive results. Birla said discussions on every subject and Bill should be held.
When asked about Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni’s absence, Om Birla said no business was listed in Teni’s name, so he cannot say anything.
On the Opposition’s demand for holding a discussion on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Speaker said the subject of discussion is decided by process and rules.
On the low attendance of MPs in Parliament, Om Birla said he will urge all lawmakers and parties to attend the House.
He said the construction of the new Parliament House will be completed by November 2022.
The Opposition will try to corner the government over rising prices of petrol and diesel, and “poor” management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the BJP will revert with historic vaccination coverage in the country…reports Asian Lite News.
The winter session of Parliament, which is likely to commence from Monday (November 29) to December 23, is set to witness uproar over a wide range of issues, including withdrawal of farm laws, Assembly polls in five states, ‘revelations’ of Congress leader Manish Tewari’s book, among others.
The opposition is formulating a strategy to corner the ruling BJP over farmers’ issues, national security, economy, while the BJP is all set to counter the attacks.
The Opposition will gherao the government over China’s “intrusion” into the country and situation in Jammu and Kashmir while the Union government will attack the leadership of the grand old party over the “confession” in Tewari’s book regarding the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Training guns on the Congress, BJP national president J.P. Nadda said the saffron party had been saying all along that the stance of the then Manmohan Singh government on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks showed the UPA’s weakness due to which the country had to face all that, but now Tewari has also accepted the same in his book.
The BJP will try to put Congress in dock by comparing UPA’s restraint after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with surgical strikes during the Modi government.
The Congress will target the Modi government over Rafale deal, while the BJP will counterattack with French media Medipart’s report and question the grand old party’s leadership on who took the Rs 65 crore commission for 36 Rafale jets during 2007 to 2012.
On-farm issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already made it clear that the government had brought the three farm laws for the welfare of 80 per cent of small farmers, but the government was unable to make a few of them understand the legislations.
On the first day of the Monsoon session, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will move the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha. The government wants this bill to get passed the same day after discussion.
The Opposition will try to corner the government over rising prices of petrol and diesel, and “poor” management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the BJP will revert with historic vaccination coverage in the country.
The BJP will also slam the opposition for politicising the pandemic and national issues.
The Opposition will attack the government with the Pegasus snooping row, while the BJP will try to send a message to the public by highlighting what senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has written in his book about Hindu and Hindutva.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is trying to widen Trinamool’s footprint in the country and establish the party as an option to the Congress in the national politics, will attack the government over the Tripura violence, while the BJP will flag up the issue of “killings” of the saffron party activists after the West Bengal Assembly polls.
The Union government is likely to introduce 26 Bills in the winter session and hold discussions on three other Bills.
Israeli Parliament okays bill setting term limit for PM
The Israeli parliament has voted in favour of a bill that would limit the service of a Prime Minister to a maximum of eight years…reports Asian Lite News
Lawmakers voted 66-48 in favour of the bill, reports Xinhua news agency.
The vote was the first in three full rounds of votes that the bill needs to pass before becoming a law.
Israeli Parliament okays bill setting term limit for PM
On Sunday night, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s cabinet decided to back the proposed legislation in a vote by telephone after a ministerial committee gave a green light to the bill last week.
The bill is widely seen as a reaction to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was ousted by the new governing coalition after 12 consecutive years in office.
The government is also likely to table a second batch of ‘Supplementary Demands for Grants’, permitting it to undertake additional expenditure other than the Finance Bill…reports Asian Lite News.
The Winter Session of the Parliament will commence from November 29 and will end on December 23, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, decided on Monday.
Like previous session, the sitting of both Houses – the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha – will be held simultaneously in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines and Members of the both Houses are expected to follow social distancing norms.
There would be about 20 sittings of each House and the government is likely to introduce Bills to facilitate privatisation of public sector banks which was announced in the General Budget this year.
A Bill is also likely to be tabled for amending the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Act, 2013, to facilitate the separation of the National Pension System Trust from the PFRDA, for ensuring universal pension coverage.
A Bill to replace the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 which was promulgated on September 30, for stricter punishment provisions in the NDPS Act may also be tabled in the Winter Session.
The government is also likely to table a second batch of ‘Supplementary Demands for Grants’, permitting it to undertake additional expenditure other than the Finance Bill.
This session will likely be stormy as the Opposition will corner the government on the issue of inflation, civilians’ killing in Jammu and Kashmir and also the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws may also be raised.
The proceedings of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session was marred by the Opposition’s ruckus on various issues including snooping by Pegasus, inflation, and farmers’ protests.
According to the PRS Legislative Research data, the productivity of the Parliament during the Monsoon Session was third time low in the last two decades wherein the Lok Sabha’s productivity was just 21 per cent while the Rajya Sabha had a productivity of 28 per cent which was eighth lowest since 1999.
The group has also targeted London’s financial district. Dozens of protesters have been arrested…reports Asian Lite News.
Dozens of climate change activists blocked roads outside the Parliament in London on Thursday, some gluing themselves to the ground as part of the group’s ongoing protests.
About 60 supporters of the group Insulate Britain sat on the ground holding banners, blocking two roads around Parliament.
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said it was “totally unacceptable” that the group was “interfering with democracy” after a lawmaker was delayed from entering Parliament to take part in a session on transport.
Insulate Britain has carried out protests blocking roads and highways in London and elsewhere in the UK in recent weeks, to demand the government improve the energy efficiency of heating in people’s homes by 2030.
The group has also targeted London’s financial district. Dozens of protesters have been arrested.
Their protests have angered many motorists and officials have called their actions “unacceptable,” but the group has vowed to continue their “civil resistance.”
Climate change protesters block roads outside British Parliament. Lawmakers have blasted the "Insulate Britain" activists for "interfering with democracy" after weeks of protests disrupting traffic, but the group is undeterred. https://t.co/8rLgRbaIuYpic.twitter.com/36DKUPT13f
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Thursday that 475 injunctions have been served to the group’s protesters for contempt of court.
The injunctions mean protesters can be fined and jailed for blocking roads.
“When it gets to the point that protesting against climate change prevents members from this House getting here to hold ministers to account and be heard it is clearly counter-productive,” he said.
Paul Sheeky, a protester from London, glued himself to the sidewalk during Thursday’s protests.
“The death and destruction that is on its way unless we tackle this issue is just beyond imagining,” he told reporters. “A slight discomfort now is a small price to pay for saving lives in the future.”
IHEC announces full results of parliamentary elections
IHEC has announced the full results of the country’s October 10 parliamentary elections…reports Asian Lite news
The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has announced the full results of the country’s October 10 parliamentary elections, showing prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s party taking the lead.
Judge Jalil Adnan Khalaf, chairman of the Board of Commissioners at IHEC, announced the results at a press conference, without giving details on the political entities or the numbers of seats won by major competing political blocs, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
IHEC announces full results of parliamentary elections
The full results, released after a manual counting of the election votes, have no tangible change from the initial results announced on October 11.
JUDGE JALIL ADNAN KHALAF, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, IHEC: “The full results are still preliminary and can be appealed to the Board of Commissioners, and the board’s decisions about the appeals also can be appealed to the electoral judiciary board, whose decisions will be final.”
According to local media reports, the initial results showed al-Sadr’s party, the Sadrist Movement, leading with more than 70 seats, whereas former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s party, the State of Law Coalition, securing about 35 seats in Baghdad and other central and southern provinces.
The Al-Fateh Coalition (Conquest), which includes some Shiite militias of Hashd Shaabi, garnered about 14 seats, while the Imtidad Movement won nine seats, mainly in the southern province of Dhi Qar.
The political alliance known as Taqaddum, or Progress, headed by outgoing parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, won about 40 seats in Baghdad and other Sunni provinces.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party, headed by Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, won most seats of the Kurdish parties with about 32 seats, mainly in Erbil and Duhok.
The Iraqi parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for 2022, were advanced in response to months of protests against corruption and a lack of public services.
There were a total of 3,249 candidates vying for 329 seats.
