Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh and Sharad Yadav Selected For Outstanding Parliamentarian Award

The Parliamentary Award Committee selected BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress MP Karan Singh and JD(U) MP Sharad Yadav for Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Arun Jaitley and Karan Singh are the members of Rajya Sabha from Gujarat and Delhi respectively. Sharad Yadav, on the other hand is a member of Lok Sabha from Madhepura, Bihar.

The Award Committee which was headed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar, recommended these names, which were accepted by executive committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group on 6 March 2013.
 
Outstanding Parliamentarian Award:-

• Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was instituted by the Indian Parliamentary Group in 1994.
• This award is conferred every year on the outstanding parliamentarian, who is recommended by award committee as well as approved by executive committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group.

Uproar in Parliament over petrol price hike

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till 2 pm on 4th March 2013 as the opposition disrupted proceedings, demanding a rollback of the hike in petrol prices.

Members of Left parties, Trinamool and AIADMK trooped into the Well of the Lok Sabha, while BJP members raised slogans from their seats against the hike.

In the Rajya Sabha, members were seen protesting from the aisles.

As soon as Speaker Meira Kumar made the obituary references, Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) was on his feet demanding that Question Hour be suspended and the House take up discussion on the petrol price hike.

“I have given notice for suspension of Question Hour,” he said as the Speaker called for the Question Hour.

Petrol prices went up by Rs.1.40 a litre, excluding taxes, from March 1.

As Asaduddin Owaisi (MIM) put a supplementary question to Defence Minister A.K. Antony on the controversial VVIP helicopter deal, Left, Trinamool Congress and AIADMK members trooped into the Well raising slogans against the hike.

The noise grew louder as Mr. Antony replied to the question on the chopper deal.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. Rajya Sabha witnessed two adjournments in the pre-noon session with opposition parties seeking a roll back.

When the House met for the day, Derek O’Brien (TMC) raised the issue of petrol prices being raised a day after the Union Budget was presented.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said the government was ready for a discussion on the issue but this did not pacify members who demanded the hike be rolled back.

At this point, Mr. Ansari adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed as SP members started moving into aisles raising slogans demanding a rollback. Mr. Ansari then adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill approved by Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha on 25 February 2013 approved the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill. The bill seeks protection for women in all type of organised, unorganized as well as Private Sectors, including the sexual harassment of domestic help as well as agricultural workers.

The bill had made it mandatory for every organization with 10 or more employees to form an internal complaint committee to deal with the complaints of sexual offences. The committees should be disposed of within 90 days and organizations that fails to follow the guidelines, would be penalized with 50000 rupees. Organisations that repeatedly violate the provisions of the bill would be penalized to a greater level and the offence may lead to the cancellation of the licenses or registration of the business conduct.

Under its list of offences, the bill covers sexual remarks, sexual favour demands, any act of unwelcome touch and physical advance and showing pornography.

The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament in September 2012.