The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019. The bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the one assigned at birth and that a person would have the right to choose to be identified as a man, woman or transgender person, irrespective of sex reassignment surgery and hormonal therapy.
However, the legislation has met with opposition from members of the community as transgender persons are required to through a district magistrate, and a district screening committee to get certified as a trans person. They may be able to get a revised certificate only if the individual undergoes surgery to change their gender either as a male or a female.
On August 5, the Lok Sabha had passed the legislation through a voice vote even as opposition parties protested against it.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the legislators in Parliament on the occasion of Constitution Day. However, Opposition parties, led by Congress, boycotted the joint session to protest against the developments in Maharashtra.
8.50 pm: The Lok Sabha is adjourned till Wednesday.
6.10 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till Wednesday.
5.31 pm: Lok Sabha passes the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019, reports ANI.
5.28 pm: The Congress demands that the chit funds bill be referred to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, to review suggestions made by a Parliamentary panel, PTI reports. “The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance’s recommendations have not been mentioned here,” Congress MP P Bhattacharya says. “You have not given us the committee’s report. You have good intentions. Can you not send this bill to a select committee to review the suggestions of the standing committee?
5.27 pm: The Upper House discusses the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The bill seeks to amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982. The 1982 Act regulates chit funds, and prohibits a fund from being created without the prior sanction of the state government.
5.16 pm: Lok Sabha takes up the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The legislation seeks to amend the National Institute of Design Act, 2014, which declares the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad as an institution of national importance along with four other national institutes at Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Haryana.
With the declaration, the institutes will be granted the power to grant degrees and diplomas.
5.08 pm: The Centre introduced a legislation in the Lok Sabha to merge the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The legislation was introduced by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, according to The Indian Express.
5.03 pm: The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the one assigned at birth, and that a person would have the right to choose to be identified as a man, woman or transgender person, irrespective of sex reassignment surgery and hormonal therapy.
However, members of the community has opposed to it as it mandates that a transgender person is required to through a district magistrate, and a district screening committee to get certified as a trans person.
Also read:
Why India’s transgender people are protesting against a Bill that claims to protect their rights
4.43 pm: Rajya Sabha passes Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.
12.40 pm: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says that Opposition boycotted the joint proceedings so that it serves as a reminder to the people that constitutional norms are being violated by the present establishment, reports ANI.
12.20 pm: Parliament proceedings will start at 2 pm.
12.15 pm: President Kovind says the Constitution of India lies at the foundation of the world’s largest democracy, reports News18. “This is the supreme law in the country’s democratic framework and it continuously guides us in our endeavors,” he adds.
12.10 pm: Kovind says people of country deserve to be complimented for respect that the Indian Constitution has earned, reports PTI.
12.06 pm: The president in his address says all three organs of the state – persons holding constitutional posts, members of civil society and citizens – should abide by “constitutional morality”, reports PTI.
12.05 pm: A digital exhibition on the history of the Indian Constitution is being inaugurated.
12.02 pm: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates a book tracing the history of Parliamentary institutions as well as a digital portal.
11.52 am: Naidu says only dark patch on our Constitutional scheme was during the Emergency imposed in 1975 as people failed to pay heed to Ambedkar’s warning.
11.50 am: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in his address cites BR Ambedkar, reports The Hindu. “Dr Ambedkar felt that we must make our democracy not just a political democracy but also a social democracy,” he says. “His observations continue to be relevant today.”
11.49 am: Congress MP Hussain Dalwai submits a “suspension of business” notice in Rajya Sabha over government formation in Maharashtra, reports News18.
11.40 am: “It is the need of the hour that we, as citizens, focus on our responsibilities in conjunction with our rights,” says the prime minister. “Let us think about how we can fulfil duties enshrined in our Constitution.”
11.35 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoles the lives lost during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. The Constitution is our holy text, he says, adding that the Constitution can be summed up in two phrases as “dignity for Indian” and “unity for India”, reports PTI.
11.31 am: Modi says the Constitution highlights both rights and duties of citizens. “This is a special aspect of our Constitution,” he adds. “Let us think about how we can fulfil the duties mentioned in our Constitution.”
11.29 am: “Today is a historic day,” says Modi. “70 years ago, we adopted our great Constitution.”
11.27 am: The prime minister says Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who played a key role in the framing of the document, would have been the happiest at the state of affairs in the country.
11.28 am: Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi reads a copy of the Indian Constitution in front of the Ambedkar statue in Parliament, reports ANI.
11.18 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his address to Parliament.
11.05 am: Opposition parties hold a protest in front of the Ambedkar Statue in Parliament against what they are calling “the murder of democracy” in Maharashtra, ANI reports.
11.02 am: The joint session of Parliament called on the occasion of Constitution Day commences.
10.30 am: The government is celebrating Constitution Day to mark the 70th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly. The practice that began four years ago, during the first term of the Narendra Modi-led government.