Monsoon Session: Parliament Adjourned Amid Dhankhar Resignation, Bihar SIR Row
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Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
‘Not a culmination, but a beginning': Kamal Haasan pens a thoughtful note on making Parliament debut
Superstar Kamal Haasan was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament on Friday. The Tamil actor and politician took his oath in Tamil to resounding thumps on the table by fellow Parliamentarians. The 'Thug Life' actor expressed his happiness on his significant political milestone. The 69-year-old Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder and actor-turned-politician, talking to media persons outside the parliament earlier, said, 'I am very proud and honoured.' Kamal Haasan's election to the Upper House marks a significant milestone in his political journey, as he assumes a national legislative role for the first time. 'Today, as I rose to take the affirmation as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, I did so with a heart full of humility and a conscience weighed by responsibility. I have sworn to uphold the Constitution of India – not as a ritual of formality, but as a solemn promise to serve its spirit with fidelity, courage, and conscience,' Haasan wrote later in a message on X. Haasan was nominated with the support of the ruling DMK-led alliance, which had promised him a Rajya Sabha seat in return for MNM's support during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 'This moment is not mine alone. I share it with my people, whose voices I carry into the chambers of power. I share it with the soil of Tamil Nadu that has nurtured me – a land that has produced poets and revolutionaries, thinkers and reformers, and above all, citizens who believe deeply in justice, dignity, and self-respect,' Haasan said in the three-page message. Haasan filed his nomination on June 6 at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, among other political leaders. On June 12, Haasan, who is the president of MNM, and five others were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu. The five others elected are DMK's Poet Salma (A Rokkaiah Malik), SR Sivalingam, P Wilson (who enters his second term), and AIADMK's IS Inbadurai and Dhanapal. Haasan promised that he would strive to be the voice of Tamil Nadu in Delhi — clear, compassionate, and committed —and that he would speak not for one community but for the common good. This moment is not mine alone. I share it with my people, whose voices I carry into the chambers of power. "With reverence for the Constitution, with faith in democracy, and with love for my people, I begin this chapter not as a culmination, but as a beginning,' he said. Key Takeaways Kamal Haasan emphasizes the importance of representing the voices of Tamil Nadu in Parliament. His election signifies a broader political strategy and alliance-building in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Haasan's approach combines reverence for the Constitution with a commitment to serve the common good.
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Rahul Gandhi terms Telangana's survey visionary, inclusive
Heaping praise on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has said the Telangana model of socio-economic survey is visionary, inclusive and powered by 21st century data. Mr. Rahul Gandhi's praise for the Telangana CM and his cabinet colleagues came for the second time in two days as he addressed OBC leaders at a meeting in New Delhi on Friday. 'It is social justice 2.0 and it will define how India moves forward,' Mr. Gandhi said. The Congress leader recalled how Ms. Sonia Gandhi's fight to create the State of Telangana cemented deep emotional connection to the people, the language and the culture of this beautiful State. 'I am filled with immense pride as I witness the remarkable efforts of the Congress government in conducting the Socio-Economic Caste Survey,' he pointed out. 'Their commitment to a sincere, inclusive, and consultative process has set a new benchmark — one that should guide future Census exercises across the country,' he added. Mr. Gandhi also noted that based on the survey, the Telangana government had taken a historic step in recommending 42% OBC reservation in local body elections and educational institutions. Mr. Revanth Reddy and other Congress leaders had already drawn praise from Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Priyanka Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge for the landmark socio-economic survey.
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Bihar SIR: Almost 66 lakh voters may not make it to draft electoral roll
Almost 66 lakh voters are unlikely to make it to the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, according to Election Commission of India data released on Friday (July 25, 2025), the last day for submission of enumeration forms in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Bihar had over 7.89 crore voters according to the 2025 electoral rolls. The forms of 7.23 crore electors have been received and digitised, and the names of all these electors will be included in the draft electoral roll, the ECI said in a statement. The poll body said that the digitisation of forms of the remaining electors will also be completed by August 1, along with Booth Level Officer (BLO) reports. Objections by September 1 During the month-long SIR exercise, which began on June 24, the local BLOs have reported the names of approximately 22 lakh deceased electors, 7 lakh registered in more than one location, and 35 lakh who have either permanently migrated or could not be traced. In addition, the enumeration forms of approximately 1.2 lakh electors are yet to be received. Any errors can be rectified in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, the statement said. From August 1 to September 1, any elector or political party may fill the prescribed forms and submit claims to the EROs for any eligible elector who has been excluded, or file objections for the removal of any ineligible elector. The lists of those electors who have not filled their forms or are deceased and those who have permanently migrated have already been shared on July 20 with all 12 of Bihar's major political parties, namely the Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) (Liberation), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), National People's Party, and Aam Aadmi Party. Contentious exercise A total of 38 Deputy Electoral Officers, 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 2,976 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, BLOs deployed at 77,895 polling booths, and volunteers participated in the exercise, along with the 12 political parties, their 38 district presidents, and the 1.60 lakh booth level agents whom they nominated. The SIR order on June 24 had said that the exercise would be carried out across the country, beginning with Bihar. Opposition parties, however, have branded the SIR as an attempt to bring in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) through a 'backdoor' route. The contentious exercise has been challenged in the Supreme Court, and a hearing is scheduled on July 28.
