The Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day.

Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday interacted with former Prime Minister H D Devegowda besides Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber at Parliament House.

Several union ministers and MPs greeted the chairman of Rajya Sabha soon after he arrived in Parliament House and assumed work after he was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

A DMK member has made a demand in Lok Sabha for the appointment of railway officials who speak the language of the respective states in positions having a public interface.

Participating in the debate on the Demand for Grants of Railways, DMK MP Murasoli S said commuters in Tamil Nadu, especially in the villages, face difficulty in communicating with the railway officials.

He urged the government to appoint persons speaking the language of the respective states at railway stations and ticket counters.

Murasoli said Tamil Nadu has been ignored in the railway budget.

"Between 2014 and 2024, there have been 678 railway accidents. This means, 68 accidents a year. The government should strive to avoid such accidents," he said.

According to sources, a discussion on the work of the Union Home Ministry will be held in the Rajya Sabha on March 20. Home Minister Amit Shah will address the House. Sources also said the Finance Bill is likely to be passed next week. The Waqf Amendment Bill is likely to be taken up after Eid. 

In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur after violence struck the Northeastern state and said the imposition of President's Rule is not healthy for democracy.

Participating in a discussion on the Budget Manipur 2025-26; and four Bills for consideration and return including The Appropriation Bill, 2025; the Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025; and the Manipur Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill 2025; and The Manipur Appropriation Bill, 2025, opposition members claimed that the "double-engine government" has failed.

"What has this double-engine government given to the people of Manipur? Manipur is burning," Sushmita Dev of the Trinamool Congress said, claiming that it was a "run-of-the-mill budget" and "a golden opportunity for the Prime Minister to vindicate himself".

Shaktisinh Gohil of the Congress said the people of Manipur will realise that the country is with them when the Prime Minister visits the state. "Prime Minister comes from Gujarat. I would like to appeal to him, Gandhi ji was also from Gujarat... follow Gandhi Model and visit Manipur," he said.

The government is examining the impact of 25 per cent tariff imposed by the US on steel and aluminium imports, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in the Lok Sabha.

As per Proclamations issued by the president of the US dated February 10, 2025, the US government has imposed the import duty with effect from March 12, 2025, he said in a written reply.

No proclamation has been issued on pharma, automobile and semiconductor sectors so far, he said.

"As informed by Department of Commerce, the impact of the above proclamations on India is being carefully examined and evaluated," he said.

Retirement fund body EPFO settled a record number of 2.16 crore claims through the autonomous process in the current financial year till March 6, which was more than double the figure of last fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday.

In the previous financial year, the EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) had settled 89.52 lakh claims.

Now, 60 per cent of advance (withdrawal) claims are processed through auto mode, said Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shobha Karandlaje in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

The minister said the limit for processing of advance (part withdrawal) claims through auto mode has also been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh.

The Opposition slammed the Railways ministry in the Lok Sabha, saying making Instagram reels will not help the public behemoth which is on a "ventilator" due to alleged mismanagement of the government.

Participating in the debate on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26, Congress' Varsha Gaikwad said claims that the rail budget was a "record breaking" measure were wrong and it was in fact a "failed budget".

She said the present government was creating a narrative that every development started after 2014. But the "devil lies in details" and available facts show that the financial health of the public carrier was in a bad shape and it was on "ventilator".

Trinamool Congress MP Shatabdi Roy said no amount of compensation would bring back those killed in rail accidents. The imposition of cancellation charges on tickets was "torture" for passengers, she added.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, walked out of the Rajya Sabha after their demand for a discussion on the Election Commission's alleged lapses in issuing multiple duplicate voter ID cards and delimitation was disallowed.

Opposition MPs from the Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left parties gave notices under rule 267 that calls for setting aside business of the day to take up discussion on the issue being raised through them. But Deputy Chairman Harivansh said they could not be accepted as they were not in conformity with the rulings of the chair on such notices.

While Trinamool and Congress MPs sought to raise the duplicate voter ID card issue, Tamil parties wanted to discuss the impact of the ensuing delimitation exercise on southern states.

Opposition MPs, including the Congress and the TMC, on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha after their demand for a discussion on the alleged voter ID lapses.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore has filed an Adjournment Motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the exam paper leaks, including the NEET paper leak, and said that the government must take steps to prevent it.

In the adjournment motion, Tagore said, "That this House do now adjourn to discuss a matter of urgent public importa Congress MP Manicka nce, namely the recent spate of exam paper leaks, including the NEET paper leak, which has put the future of 85 lakh children in six states at risk, and the need for the government to take immediate and effective steps to prevent such leaks and ensure the integrity of the examination process."

Calling it a "matter of concern," Tagore stated that the issue of exam paper leaks undermines the trust and confidence of students, parents, and the general public in the examination system.

Kanyakumari Lok Sabha MP Vijay Kumar, alias Vijay Vasanth, has moved an adjournment motion in the House seeking a discussion on the revocation of concession on train ticket fares.

The Parliament Budget Session resumed today after a brief holiday on account of Holi. While the Rajya Sabha will discuss the Manipur Budget, key reports and bills will be presented in both the Houses.

According to the list of businesses in the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and Samjawadi Party MP Virendra Singh will present reports of the Standing Committee on Defence for grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2025-26. In the Rajya Sabha, the discussion on the working of the Ministry of Railways raised by Samik Bhattacharya on March 12 will continue.