Parliament Extends Joint Committee's Term on Simultaneous Elections

In a recent session, Parliament extended the term of the joint committee reviewing simultaneous elections until the monsoon session. The Lok Sabha approved agricultural grants for 2026-27, with discussions highlighting the government's commitment to minimum support prices for farmers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi bid farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha members, emphasizing the importance of continued public service. The session also saw calls for more robust discussions on trade agreements and legislative participation from opposition members. Stay tuned for more updates on these significant developments.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 18, 2026, 18:40 IST

Parliament Proceedings Update

The joint committee of Parliament, which is reviewing bills related to conducting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously, has had its term extended until the end of the monsoon session. During the question hour in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the absence of Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia while questions regarding rural postal workers were raised led to displeasure from Speaker Om Birla. Due to the scheduled holidays on Thursday and Friday, both houses will convene over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday next week. The Deputy Speaker Jagdambika Pal informed members that the sessions planned for March 19 and March 20 have been canceled, with meetings now set for March 28 and March 29, which will not include question hour.

Lok Sabha Discussions

The Lok Sabha approved the grant requests for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare for the fiscal year 2026-27. In response to attacks from Congress members regarding the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the main opposition party's stance is contradictory. He emphasized that the previous Congress-led government had refused to provide MSP based on a 50% cost formula, whereas the current Narendra Modi government has fulfilled this promise to farmers.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav urged the central government for a detailed discussion on the India-US trade agreement in the Lok Sabha, expressing concerns that this 'trade deal' could turn into a 'blunder deal' detrimental to Indian farmers. She insisted that the government must ensure MSP for pulses and oilseeds.

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed fears regarding the privatization of BSNL, asserting that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, this public sector enterprise is fully committed to serving the citizens. He noted that BSNL achieved a net profit of ₹280 crore and ₹262 crore in the last two quarters of 2024-25, marking its first profit in 18 years.

The Congress party accused the central government of failing to keep its promises to farmers, insisting on a legal guarantee for MSP. Lok Sabha member Amarinder Raja Wading initiated the discussion on the grant requests for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, highlighting that after the farmers' protests, there was hope that the government would fulfill the demand for a legal guarantee for MSP, which has not happened.

Rajya Sabha Proceedings

Prime Minister Narendra Modi bid farewell to 59 retiring Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday, referring to Parliament as 'an open university.' He encouraged the departing members to continue contributing to national life, stating that 'there is no full stop in politics.' Modi remarked that such moments naturally transcend party differences, fostering a shared sentiment among colleagues as they move on to new endeavors.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, also bid farewell to the retiring members and emphasized the need for periodic reviews of the house's procedural rules. He advocated for more meetings in the house to allow serious discussions on issues of public importance and called for greater participation from opposition members in the legislative process, warning that any obstruction could weaken the institutional power of Parliament.