New Delhi, Jan 19: Nitin Nabin is set to become the BJP national president as he emerged as the sole candidate for the top party post, senior BJP leader and returning officer K Laxman announced on Monday.

In a statement, he said 37 sets of nomination papers were filed in favour of Nabin as the BJP national president and all nomination papers were found to be valid.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the proposers of Nabin’s candidature for the post of BJP national president. Several senior BJP leaders including party chief J P Nadda, and Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari were among the proposers.

Laxman said according to the schedule, the nomination process for the BJP national president was completed between 2 pm and 4 pm on Monday.

“In all, 37 sets of nomination papers were received in favour of Shri Nitin Nabin for the post of national president. On scrutiny, all sets of nomination papers were found to be duly filled out in the required format and were valid.

“Now, after the period of withdrawal, in my capacity of national returning officer, Sangathan Parv, Bharatiya Janata Party, I hereby announce that only one name, that of Shri Nitin Nabin, has been proposed for the post of national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Laxman said in a statement.

He said the BJP national president’s election process was initiated after the election of 30 state presidents out of 36 states, well above the required number for completing a minimum of 50 per cent of the states.

He said the notification of the schedule of events was announced and the electoral roll was published on January 16.

Of 37 sets of nomination papers, 36 were from states which bore the signatures of 20 leaders in each set of papers.

The other set of nomination papers was proposed by members of the BJP Parliamentary Board, including the prime minister, and 37 MPs.

Lucknow, Jan 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stressed the need for respecting differing viewpoints and criticism with dignity in legislatures, underscoring technology’s role in enhancing transparency in legislative and democratic processes.

In a message to participants of the three-day 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC), which began in Lucknow, PM Modi said that this Conference provides an effective platform to the Presiding Officers of our Parliament and the legislatures of States to share perspectives and experiences in following legislative practices and upholding Constitutional values.

“It also provides them an opportunity to share their concerns, best practices and initiatives to further enhance legislative efficiency and democratic processes,” he said in a statement.

Greeting Lok Sabha Speaker and AIPOC Chairman Om Birla for the event, PM Modi said, “In today’s digital age, technology is a proven force multiplier. It continues to be relevant in strengthening transparency, efficiency and citizen-centric legislative processes.”

He said technology is also important for optimising the capacity of legislators and in making our legislatures and elected representatives more accountable and accessible to citizens.

May the deliberations at this Conference further boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the Presiding Officers in raising the quality of debates and discussions in the Houses, he said.

Recalling the AIPOC’s past, PM Modi said, “What is particularly pleasing to note is that this national conference follows the conclusion of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) hosted by our Parliament.”

He said since its inception in Shimla in 1921, AIPOC has truly come a long way. Having addressed AIPOC sessions earlier, my mind immediately races back to my participation at the Centennial conference, also held in Shimla in 2021.

The Prime Minister said debates and discussions are important part of a democracy as these promote transparency, fairness and respect for differing viewpoints and criticism with dignity.

“In this context, Speakers and Presiding Officers play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth, impartial and orderly functioning of legislative bodies by facilitating effective transaction of business while maintaining decorum and decency on the floor of the House and adhering to legislative rules and procedures,” he said.

By presiding over debates, giving members an opportunity to speak, deciding points of order and overseeing voting, they act as neutral authorities above party politics, uphold the dignity of the House and safeguard the integrity of democratic processes, he added.

New Delhi, Jan 19: Power Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said the Electricity Amendment Bill is likely to be introduced in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament.

The bill seeks to bring reforms in the power sector and ensure the profitability of debt-ridden power distribution companies.

The minister made these remarks on the sidelines of the inauguration of the IIT-Delhi-CERC-Grid India Centre of Excellence in the national capital.

On Sunday, the power ministry said that power distribution utilities have jointly recorded a profit of Rs 2,701 crore in FY25 after having incurred losses for several years.

However, about 50 discoms are still in losses, the ministry said.

On strategies to make all discoms profitable, Lal said, “In the next Budget session, we are bringing amendments to the Electricity Act so that discoms don’t face losses and receive timely payments”.

Also, a consultation meeting is being scheduled with the state representatives to discuss proposed amendments to the Electricity Act, a senior ministry official said.

As per a government document, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, also aims to preserve the federal balance, promote cooperative governance, healthy competition, and enhanced efficiency of the sector.

The amendments will not only strengthen the power distribution sector through financial discipline but also strengthen the framework for addressing the challenges of the power sector, as stated in the FAQ on the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The government’s ongoing efforts to bring amendments to the Act have also attracted criticism from several sections.

The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has opposed it, arguing that the bill proposes multiple distribution licensees to use the existing network of government dioscoms.

“The bill seems to support privatisation motives. The central government continues to press ahead with its privatisation agenda through the Electricity (Amendment) Rules,” AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey said.