#parliament

Jatiya Sangsad Opposition Withdraws from Parliament Over Constitutional Reforms The opposition parties in Bangladesh have withdrawn from the National Parliament, rejecting partial constitutional reforms and demanding full-scale amendments along with a referendum. The decision comes after the government passed 133 ordinances, including several reform-related measures, without establishing a constitutional reform council as promised. The opposition, led by Jatiya Amrit leader Shafiqur Rahman, criticized the government for sidelining the people’s will and undermining key institutions. Rahman accused the government of ignoring the results of a referendum where 70% of voters supported constitutional reforms. He argued that the lack of a comprehensive reform process has created public distrust and fear. The opposition claims that critical bills, such as those establishing the Human Rights Commission and the Missing Persons Act, were passed without proper legislative scrutiny, effectively bypassing the parliament. The government’s handling of the reforms has been a point of contention. A special committee recommended converting 98 ordinances into laws, amending 15, and drafting new bills for 16 others. However, the opposition argues that these measures were implemented unilaterally, bypassing democratic processes. Rahman highlighted the failure to address core issues like judicial independence, anti-corruption commissions, and police reforms, which he says are essential to prevent authoritarianism. The opposition’s withdrawal followed a series of protests and demands for transparency. They criticized the government for failing to respond to their calls for a referendum and for passing laws without parliamentary debate.#parliament #jatiya_sangsad #jatiya_amrit #shafiqur_rahman #constitutional_reforms

President Droupadi Murmu Approves UPI Fee Regulations and Tax Law Amendments The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has given her assent to two significant bills aimed at regulating fees on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions and amending tax laws to boost economic growth. The bills, which were passed by Parliament on August 10, 2026, provide the government with the legal framework to impose charges on UPI and RuPay card transactions while ensuring user-friendly policies for digital payments. The first bill, titled the "Amendment to the Income Tax and Other Laws Act, 2026," and the second, the "Amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007," were approved by the President after being cleared by the legislature. The Payment and Settlement Systems Act amendment grants the government the authority to levy fees on electronic transactions conducted through UPI and RuPay debit cards. This includes the power to specify which payment methods or transactions will be exempt from the "merchant discount rate" (MDR) charges. Currently, banks and payment system providers are prohibited from charging users for transactions made via UPI or RuPay debit cards. However, the amendment allows the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which oversees UPI operations, to decide on MDR charges. The NPCI will now be responsible for determining which categories of business transactions will be subject to these fees, ensuring a balance between user convenience and financial sustainability for service providers. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted during parliamentary discussions that UPI transactions will remain free for users, but future MDR charges will apply only to specific business categories.#president_droupadi_murmu #unified_payments_interface #finance_minister_nirmala_sitharaman #national_payments_corporation_of_india #parliament

Indian Passport: Who Is Eligible to Obtain It? Central Government Clarifies in Parliament The Indian government addressed longstanding debates about the nature of the Indian passport in a parliamentary session on July 31, 2026, clarifying that only Indian citizens are eligible to obtain passports. This clarification came after previous statements by the Ministry of External Affairs, which had asserted that passports are merely travel documents and not proof of citizenship. The issue had sparked widespread discussion, with critics questioning whether the passport serves as an official document validating an individual’s nationality. The government’s response in Parliament emphasized that the passport is a tool for facilitating international travel for Indian citizens. It reiterated that the document is issued under the Passport Act of 1967 and is governed by specific procedures for verification and issuance. However, the clarification did not explicitly confirm whether the passport itself serves as legal proof of citizenship. This ambiguity has persisted despite the government’s recent statements, leaving the question of its role in validating nationality unresolved. The debate gained traction after the Ministry of External Affairs initially stated that passports are not proof of citizenship, a claim that led to public and political discourse. Critics argued that the passport should be recognized as an official document confirming an individual’s nationality, while others maintained that it is solely a travel permit. The government’s latest clarification in Parliament sought to address these concerns but stopped short of providing definitive answers on the passport’s legal status as a citizenship proof.#rajya_sabha #ministry_of_externa_affairs #indian_passport #parliament #kirti_bhadra_singh