Parliament roundup: No Kashmiri Pandit left Valley in 2022 and more

New Delhi, July 27: On the eighth day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha convened at 11 am on Wednesday.

Here's how the day unfolded:

No significant protests in J&K against Delimitation Commission report: Govt

The Centre on Wednesday said there were no significant protests in Jammu and Kashmir against the report of the Delimitation Commission even though various political parties have expressed different views on the report. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said this in Rajya Sabha replying to a question whether there is widespread resentment regarding the report on the delimitation of assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The government of Jammu and Kashmir has intimated that there were no significant protest against the report of the Delimitation Commission.

However, various political parties have expressed different views on the report," he said, replying to a written question. The National Conference, the PDP and several other political parties have slammed the report.

No Kashmiri Pandit left Valley in 2021-22, says Centre

"As per the records, no Kashmiri Pandit has left from the Kashmir Valley during the year 2022. The number of Kashmiri Pandits who are still residing in the valley is 6,514," says Nityanand Rai in Upper House.

20 suspended RS MPs hold relay protest in Parliament complex

Twenty opposition MPs, who were suspended from the Rajya Sabha for disrupting proceedings, on Wednesday started a 50-hour-long protest inside the Parliament complex.

The MPs are holding the relay protest near the Gandhi Statue and will stay at the site through the night, said TMC MP Dola Sen said, who is one of the suspended parliamentarians.

The 20 MPs, suspended over the last two days, include seven from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), six from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Govt to fill up existing vacancies in CAPFs by Dec 2023: MoS

Minister of State for Home (MoS) Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has taken a decision to fill up 84,405 existing vacancies in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) by December 2023.

Replying to a query of BJP MP Anil Agrawal in writing, the Minister further said that the examination for filling up of 25,271 posts of Constable (General Duty) has already been conducted.

As per data shared by the MoS, there are a total of 84,405 vacancies in the CAPFs that included Assam Rifles (9,659), Border Security Force (19,254), Central Industrial Security Force (10,918), Central Reserve Police Force (29,985), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (3,187), and Sashastra Seema Bal (11,402).

Kerala recorded highest number of landslides in India in past 7 years

Kerala recorded the highest number of landslides with 2,239 landslides out of 3,782 major landslides in the country in the past 7 years, the ministry of earth sciences told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. West Bengal recorded the second highest number of landslides with 376 landslides between 2015 and 2022.

Union minister for earth science and science and technology, Jitendra Singh, was answering a question on whether the government is paying any attention to the increasing number of landslide incidents occurring in the country in the recent past and the reasons for the rise.

Suspension can be revoked if Oppn MPs apologise: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said the suspension of Opposition MPs can be revoked by the Chair if they apologise and assure they would not show placards in the House.

As many as 24 opposition MPs - 20 from the Rajya Sabha and four from the Lok Sabha - have been suspended for their unruly behaviour and creating ruckus in Parliament.

'We have been maintaining that the government is ready for discussion on price rise and today Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman resumed her office after recovering from Covid,' Joshi said. If the Opposition wants, 'we can start discussion from today', he further said.

Murder of democracy: Cong after MPs detained over protests against 'misuse' of agencies

Congress MPs staging a protest at Vijay Chowk here over the alleged misuse of investigative agencies were detained by police on Wednesday, with the party calling it a "murder of democracy" and claiming that the government wants an "Opposition-mukt Bharat".

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and a host of party MPs sat on a protest and raised slogans against the "misuse" of agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the suspension of Opposition MPs from both houses of Parliament. They also raised the issues of price rise and imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on certain essential daily-use items.

The MPs marched from the Parliament complex to the Vijay Chowk lawns, where they held a sit-in and raised slogans.

Of over 22.05 crore applicants, more than 7.22 lakh got govt jobs during 2014-22: Centre to LS

Of over 22.05 crore applicants for central government jobs during 2014 and 2022, over 7.22 lakh were recommended by the recruiting agencies, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

As many as 7,22,311 candidates were recommended by recruiting agencies for appointment in different central government departments from 2014-15 to 2021-22, according to a written reply given by Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh.

Of these, 38,850 were recruited during 2021-22, 78,555 in 2020-21, 1,47,096 in 2019-20, 38,100 in 2018-19, 76,147 in 2017-18, 1,01,333 in 2016-17, 1,11,807 in 2015-16 and 1,30,423 during 2014-15, it said.