Saubhadra Chatterji is Deputy Political Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on both politics and policies.
Articles by Saubhadra Chatterji
Sprawling Parliament library is now open for public
The Parliament Library which until recently was accessible only to lawmakers, government functionaries, accredited media persons and research scholars, has opened its collection of 1.7 million publications to the common people.
Published on Aug 20, 2022 12:32 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Congress president poll: No indication from Rahul of his interest in top post
Elections to the post of party president would be held between August 21 and September 20.
Published on Aug 19, 2022 12:34 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Ghulam Nabi Azad’s move caught Congress brass off guard
The senior leader's refusal to accept new responsibilities in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress has shocked several central leaders of the party.
Updated on Aug 18, 2022 09:05 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Bihar: How Tejashwi Yadav gave JD(U)-BJP split a headstart
For the past two days, Tejashwi Yadav dialled a few Opposition leaders, while the top leadership of the JD(U) is believed to have established contact with the Congress, the fourth largest party in Bihar and an ally of the RJD.
Updated on Aug 10, 2022 04:35 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Acrimonious Parliament monsoon session concludes early
The Lok Sabha functioned for just 44 hours and 29 minutes, making this the least productive session in the 17th Lok Sabha since the 2021 monsoon session, which clocked 21 hours and 20 minutes amid protests over the Pegasus snooping controversy, according to an official.
Updated on Aug 09, 2022 04:40 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Historic Bills, stirs mark Venkaiah Naidu’s tenure as Rajya Sabha chairperson
Naidu, a staunch believer in “debate, discuss and decide and not disrupt”, arguably faced the toughest time as chairperson in the history of the Rajya Sabha.
Updated on Aug 07, 2022 01:11 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Jagdeep Dhankhar defeats Margaret Alva, elected Vice President of India
The 71-year-old leader, who has been described by the Bharatiya Janata Party as a “kisaan putra”, is likely to take oath on August 11.
Updated on Aug 07, 2022 04:52 AM IST
Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu: A guardian in troubled times
On August 5, 2019, Naidu played a crucial role when the House approved the abrogation of Article 370 and passed the bill bifurcating Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories
Published on Aug 06, 2022 07:38 PM IST
Parliament session may be curtailed
With only three working days remaining in the monsoon session of Parliament, the government has discussed a plan with Opposition leaders to curtail the session, which has witnessed a persistent stalemate of proceedings, people familiar with the development said on Friday.
Published on Aug 06, 2022 12:51 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Govt considers plan to adjourn Parliament’s monsoon session early
BJP leaders said the government tried hard to restore normalcy in Parliament and urged opposition members to allow proceedings but the opposition parties were determined to disrupt the House
Published on Aug 05, 2022 09:05 PM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Intense negotiations, 6 drafts behind rare show of Opposition unity
Two senior Trinamool leaders told other Opposition leaders that the document—a reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling—needed to be seen by a legal expert.
Updated on Aug 04, 2022 05:38 AM IST
Parliamentary panel questions delays in approvals to solar park projects
A parliamentary committee has expressed disappointment at the slow progress of the development of solar parks in the country and pointed out that 11 out of the 50 proposed parks are yet to get approval from the ministry even as they are supposed to be commissioned by this year.
Updated on Aug 03, 2022 05:37 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Opposition to focus on charges against Gujarat minister, Jharkhand issue in Parliament
On Monday, opposition parties including the Congress and Trinamool Congress will take up the Gujarat issue in the Rajya Sabha. “We have decided that our woman MPs will raise the issue. Trinamool’s Dola Sen and Mausam Noor will serve notice under Rule 267 of the House for discussion on the rape allegation against a Gujarat minister. The Congress too, is likely to field its women MPs to raise the issue,” said an Opposition leader.
Published on Aug 01, 2022 12:11 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Govt-Opposition thaw possible in Parliament after disruptions
The second week of the ongoing monsoon session of parliament may have ended on an unproductive note amidst continued protests and frequent disruptions, but there is a glimmer of hope for peace to return next week.
Updated on Jul 30, 2022 02:32 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Centre, Opposition lock horns after Smriti, Sonia face-off in House
A bitter verbal face-off between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani on the floor of the Lok Sabha on Thursday ratcheted up political tensions with the government and the Opposition presenting contrasting versions of the confrontation.
Updated on Jul 29, 2022 12:30 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran and Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
When MPs get suspended from Parliament
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have a history of mass suspensions aimed at retaining order in the House and control chaos
Updated on Jul 28, 2022 10:32 PM IST
VP pick Margaret Alva appeals to TMC as Opposition scrambles to forge unity
Alva’s comments came a day after the TMC said it will abstain from the August 6 VP election because it was not consulted before Alva, a former governor, was picked as the Opposition nominee.
Updated on Jul 23, 2022 05:00 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Mamata assured Sonia TMC support for joint VP candidate, Oppn leaders claim
On July 21, Abhishek Banerjee, TMC’s all-India general secretary and also the nephew of TMC supremo and CM Banerjee announced that TMC will abstain in the Vice-Presidential election
Updated on Jul 22, 2022 06:36 PM IST
How the Droupadi Murmu vs Yashwant Sinha presidential campaign played out
After frantic efforts by Opposition parties to find a suitable nominee, Sinha’s candidature highlighted Opposition unity. However, for him, the race is over even before it started, as the BJP is set to have an easy win with Murmu.
Published on Jul 18, 2022 11:28 AM IST
Oppn names Margaret Alva as Vice President candidate
Alva has been a parliamentarian for five terms, served as governor of Rajasthan, Goa, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, and been a Union minister.
Published on Jul 18, 2022 12:14 AM IST
Anti-defection law amendment panel to include legal experts: LS Speaker
The anti-defection law or the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution has frequently come under scrutiny, following defection of lawmakers that led to toppling of elected governments. The law provides for disqualification of legislators for anti-party activities.
Published on Jul 16, 2022 12:26 AM IST
The Congress faces 11 elections — and a moment of reckoning
With 11 state elections scheduled in the next 18 months, the party can either prepare the ground for national revival or disappear from the political map
Published on Jul 13, 2022 12:23 PM IST
LAC standoff, Agnipath on Opposition agenda for Parliament's monsoon session
The monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 18 and continue till August 12.
Updated on Jul 12, 2022 06:13 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Rahul’s call for diversity in party positions takes shape on ground
The former Congress president’s call to promote equitable share of party positions among various weaker sections comes at a time when the party is gearing up a number of important panels.
Updated on Jul 11, 2022 05:48 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Congress writes to LS speaker over BJP MPs spreading ‘fake news’
The notice has requested him to refer the matter to the ethics committee of the Lok Sabha. The committee deals with any person or member making a complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of Lok Sabha.
Published on Jul 08, 2022 06:04 AM IST
Shiv Sena crisis set to further dent Sinha’s vote tally in President election
The Shiv Sena has 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha, and three in the Rajya Sabha, making it the fourth-largest Opposition outfit after the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, and the DMK.
Updated on Jul 08, 2022 03:54 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Opposition treads lightly for Vice Presidential election nominee
The Congress has made it clear that it wouldn’t field any candidate from the party; the Trinamool Congress, the second-largest Opposition party, has signalled it is ‘not rushing this time’.
Updated on Jul 06, 2022 08:23 AM IST
House panel meets stakeholders to suggest reforms in labour law
The report of the committee is expected to be tabled during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
Updated on Jul 05, 2022 05:05 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
Interview: ‘Have lost states to superior money’, says Cong MP Abhishek Singhvi
“A lot of the states are stolen, majority is manufactured by an immoral BJP. Yes, we have lost these states because of superior money power of the BJP. I can now see where the 95% of the funds of the electoral bonds are being used,” said Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Updated on Jul 04, 2022 12:46 PM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
BJP has enough votes to ensure win of VP nominee
The BJP has lost three seats in the last round of biennial polls and its strength has declined to 92 MPs in the Upper House on July 1. In the Lower House, where it enjoys a sweeping majority, the BJP has bagged both seats in the bypoll of Uttar Pradesh, taking its Lok Sabha tally to 303.
Updated on Jul 03, 2022 07:12 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
