Editor's Pick | Turbulent Winter Session ends day before schedule

The Winter Session of Parliament ended a day ahead of schedule on Thursday when both Houses were adjourned sine die. The turbulent Session appears to have further deepened the divide between the Treasury and the Opposition benches, perhaps to an extent that has not been witnessed before in the history of India’s Parliament. The Session began on a stormy note due to TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, followed by a security breach in the Lower House on December 13. A record 146 Opposition MPs were suspended from Parliament for protesting and demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach. Ms. Moitra was expelled from the Lower House on December 8 over cash-for-query allegations. She was accused of taking bribes, including expensive gifts, from Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for asking questions in Parliament. On December 13, two persons entered the Lok Sabha and set off coloured gas canisters, 22 years to the day terrorists had attacked the old Parliament House. The breach was followed by a series of suspensions in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. According to Speaker Om Birla, a total of 18 bills, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Sanhita — to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act, respectively — were passed in the Lok Sabha. The legislation will result in a massive change in the legal system of the country. The Bills were also passed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced that the Upper House passed 17 Bills during the Session. The contentious Telecommunications Bill, which provides for the government to temporarily take control of telecom services in the interest of national security, and provides a non-auction route for the allocation of satellite spectrum, was also passed by both Houses during the Winter Session. The Hindu’s Editorials Revision sans vision: On the three Bills that replace the body of criminal laws in India Staying alert: On the rapidly increasing spread of the JN.1 variant The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is the President of which country? Jordan Egypt Yemen Kuwait To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 22 December 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Turbulent Winter Session ends day before schedule The Winter Session of Parliament [ended a day ahead of schedule on Thursday]( when both Houses were adjourned sine die. The turbulent Session appears to have further deepened the divide between the Treasury and the Opposition benches, perhaps to an extent that has not been witnessed before in the history of India’s Parliament. The Session began on a stormy note due to TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, followed by a security breach in the Lower House on December 13. A record 146 Opposition MPs were suspended from Parliament for protesting and demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach. Ms. Moitra was expelled from the Lower House on December 8 over cash-for-query allegations. She was accused of taking bribes, including expensive gifts, from Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for asking questions in Parliament. On December 13, two persons entered the Lok Sabha and set off coloured gas canisters, 22 years to the day terrorists had attacked the old Parliament House. The breach was followed by a series of suspensions in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. According to Speaker Om Birla, a total of 18 bills, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Sanhita — to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act, respectively — were passed in the Lok Sabha. The legislation will result in a massive change in the legal system of the country. The Bills were also passed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced that the Upper House passed 17 Bills during the Session. The contentious Telecommunications Bill, which provides for the government to temporarily take control of telecom services in the interest of national security, and provides a non-auction route for the allocation of satellite spectrum, was also passed by both Houses during the Winter Session. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Revision sans vision: On the three Bills that replace the body of criminal laws in India]( [Arrow][Staying alert: On the rapidly increasing spread of the JN.1 variant]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is the President of which country? - Jordan - Egypt - Yemen - Kuwait To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( Today’s Best Reads [[India receives price bids for 26 Rafale-M jets, 3 Scorpene submarines] India receives price bids for 26 Rafale-M jets, 3 Scorpene submarines]( [[Should an All-India Judicial Service be created?] Should an All-India Judicial Service be created?]( [[Parliament passes Bill simplifying registration of periodicals] Parliament passes Bill simplifying registration of periodicals]( [[Unemployment remains a concern in India post-pandemic | Data] Unemployment remains a concern in India post-pandemic | Data]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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