Committed to goal of J&K’s State restoration, its constitutional guarantees: Omar

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. File | The population of Kolkata Municipal Corporation is estimated to be 6.7 million and Howrah Municipal Corporation is 1.6 million.Speaking on the amendment bills, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the legislation passed by the Assembly only dealt with increasing the number of wards and that the actual delimitation would be undertaken subsequently by the State Election Commission (SEC). Mr. Adhikari also added that people will have an opportunity to air their grievances and there will be at least two all party meetings.Former Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said that he was not opposing the reorganisation and delimitation of the wards in principle but it should be made clear on what policy or criteria the entire process is being carried out. Mr. Hakim, who is a rebel Trinamool Congress MLA who has aligned with Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, has been one of the most prominent Muslim leaders of the State. “It should also be made clear whether the boundaries of the new wards are being altered by targeting any particular community,” Mr. Hakim said, raising questions on the political move behind the delimitation exercise and increasing the wards in Kolkata by 65 wards. Similar concerns were raised by another Kolkata MLA Javed Khan, who has also joined the rebel camp of Trinamool Congress led by Mr. Banerjee.Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Agnimitra Paul, who introduced both the bills, defended the government’s decision to increase the number of wards, saying the move to increase the number of wards in the municipalities was aimed at improving civic services. “The previous governments did not do work for improving the civic facilities,” Ms. Paul told media persons. MLAs of the BJP who participated in the discussion raised questions about uneven distribution of voters in certain wards of Kolkata and Howrah.The tabling and passage of the bills comes at a time when most of the civic bodies have turned defunct in the State. After the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in West Bengal in May 2026, there has been mass resignation of councillors across the civic bodies. All the councillors of Kolkata Municipal Corporation have resigned, and the largest civic body of the State is being administered by a civil servant. The West Bengal government wants to complete the delimitation exercise before civic polls are held by the end of the year. Published - August 13, 2026 08:24 am IST

The latest amendment also substitutes the provision relating to maintenance of the river banks and floodplains. It says they shall be maintained to reduce pollution sources and pressures and preserve their natural groundwater recharge functions through necessary measures. | The Jal Shakti Ministry, through a notification issued on August 7 and published in the Gazette on August 10, has amended the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016.The latest amendment removes the "construction free zone" wording and instead says that the banks of the Ganga and its tributaries and their floodplains shall be maintained to reduce pollution sources and pressures, and preserve their natural groundwater recharge functions through necessary measures.At the same time, the Government has introduced a specific definition of "active floodplain", meaning an area of the Ganga or its tributaries coming under water due to floods corresponding to a one-in-five-year return period.The amended definition of "flood plain" includes the active floodplain, a regulatory zone covering areas inundated between one-in-five-year and one-in-25-year floods, and a warning zone covering areas inundated between one-in-25-year and one-in-100-year floods.Under the 2016 order, construction of permanent or temporary structures for residential, commercial, industrial or other purposes was prohibited in the Ganga, its banks, its tributaries and the active floodplain, subject to specified exceptions and permissions.The 2026 amendment does not amend that provision, but defines the active floodplain as the area corresponding to a one-in-five-year flood.The notification itself does not specify any construction permission or prohibition for the newly defined regulatory and warning zones.The amended definition also includes areas of the Ganga or its tributaries that come under water on either side due to floods corresponding to their greatest flow or a flood with a frequency of once in 100 years.The 2016 order had defined "flood plain" as the area of the Ganga or its tributaries that comes under water on either side due to floods corresponding to its greatest flow or a flood with a frequency of once in 100 years.The latest amendment also substitutes the provision relating to maintenance of the river banks and floodplains. It says they shall be maintained to reduce pollution sources and pressures and preserve their natural groundwater recharge functions through necessary measures.The order, called the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities (Second Amendment) Order, 2026, came into force on the date of its publication in the official Gazette.The principal order was notified on October 7, 2016, and was last amended on May 7, 2026, according to the notification. Published - August 12, 2026 02:57 pm IST

Home News India The FCRA Bill is expected to be taken up in the discussion of the Opposition leaders Updated - August 10, 2026 02:28 pm IST Opposition MPs sloganeering in Lok Sabha, seeking debate on police crackdown during July 20 Jantar Mantar protest, on August 10, 2026. Photo: Screengrab via YouTube/Sansad TV. Both Houses saw couple of disruptions on Monday (August 10, 2026), Lok Sabha was adjourned minutes after the proceedings began at 11 a.m., amid protests from the Opposition demanding discussions on various issues. Rajya Sabha was also adjourned a few minutes later. Both Houses reconvened at 12 p.m. Lok Sabha introduced four Bills amid protests- The Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026, the Minerals and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 and The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Rajya Sabha briefly took up some business, but was adjourned minutes later. Floor leaders of the Opposition parties held a meeting in the chamber of the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, to chalk out the strategy for the Floor of the House on Monday (August 10, 2026). The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is also expected to be taken up in the discussion of the Opposition leaders. The Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up the introduction of several key bills on Monday, including the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, and the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Follow LIVE updates herelok sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:27 Lok Sabha adjourned for the day; to reconvene tomorrow at 11 a.m.lok sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:27 The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, passed in Lok SabhaThe Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026’ passed in the Lok Sabha without voting. The Bill was passed amid huge protests and sloganeering by the Opposition.lok sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:23'When the Home Minister is ready to answer, you are not ready for the discussion', Jagatambika Pal tells Opposition MPsJagatambika Pal tells the Opposition MPs, “When the Home Minister is ready to answer, you are not ready for the discussion.”Mr. Pal asks the MPs to follow the decorum of the House and take part in the discussion before the House is adjourned for the day.lok sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:19 Jagadambika Pal requests the Opposition MPs to listen to the Minister silentlyMoS of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal speaks about the Tribunal Reforms Bill amid the sloganeering of Opposition MPs.On the chair, Jagadambika Pal requests the Opposition MPs to listen to the Minister silently as the latter is presenting an important reform Bill.The Opposition MPs keep on chanting “Chor... chor...” (meaning thief).The Minister moves the Bill for approval.rajya sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:13 Opposition demands Amit Shah's arrival in Rajya Sabha; adjourned till 2.15 p.m.Rajya Sabha is adjourned till 2.15 p.m. Deputy Chairman tried to call Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to introduce the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, but he adjourned the House after two minutes.Opposition MPs were protesting, demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah must come to the House.lok sabhaAugust 10, 2026 14:05 Government is ready to discuss students protest issue; don't run away, says Kiren Rijiju amidst heavy sloganeeringParliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Home Minister and the Government are ready to answer all the questions raised by the Opposition regarding students’ protest issue.Mr. Rijiju asked the Opposition MPs not to “run away” in the middle, but to listen to the discussion completely.August 10, 2026 14:00 I-T rules for online application of lower, nil TDS certificates to be notified soon: MoS Finance The Income Tax department is currently in the process of framing rules to implement the 2026-27 Budget provision tha

The Lok Sabha proceedings during the Monsoon Session on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. File | It is trying to garner a two-thirds majority in Parliament to pass a Constitutional amendment for this purpose. In April 2026, it had moved the amendment but could not pass it. The Centre has not revealed its exact proposals. The proposals that the Centre placed before Parliament in the previous Session were the following:1) Increase the size of the Lok Sabha up to a maximum of 850 seats; 2) distribute these seats among the States on the basis of the 2011 Census through a fresh, countrywide delimitation of constituencies; and 3) reserve one-third of the total seats for women. Published - August 08, 2026 08:03 pm IST