New Delhi, August 20: A Bill to promote and regulate the online gaming sector, including e-sports, educational games and social gaming and to provide for the appointment of an authority for coordinated policy support, strategic development and regulatory oversight of the sector was introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has been introduced by Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

It seeks to prohibit the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, promotion and participation in online money games through any computer resource, mobile device or the internet, particularly where such activities operate across State borders or from foreign jurisdiction.

The bill seeks to protect individuals, especially youth and vulnerable populations, from the adverse social, economic, psychological and privacy-related impacts of such games.

It seeks to ensure responsible use of digital technologies and to maintain public order and protect public health.

The bill seeks to safeguard the integrity of financial systems and the security and sovereignty of the state and establish a uniform, national-level legal framework in the public interest.

Vaishnaw had told Parliament earlier this year that policies of the Central government are aimed at ensuring an open, safe, trusted and accountable internet for its users.

To help achieve this aim, the Central government has taken suitable steps to regulate financial transactions and user data protection for digital platforms, including online gaming platforms, he said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Vaishnaw had said to bring certainty in the levy of income tax in the online gaming sector. The government, vide Finance Act, 2023, has introduced income tax at the rate of thirty per cent on the net winnings in the online games with effect from the assessment year 2024-25.

In addition, the government has introduced GST at the rate of 28 per cent in online gaming from October 1, 2023. The supplier of online money gaming shall obtain a single registration under the Simplified Registration Scheme referred to in the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (IGST Act).

The suppliers of offshore online money gaming are also being regulated under the IGST Act, he said.

New Delhi, August 20: Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over the Constitution Amendment Bill, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for thirty consecutive days.

Yadav stressed that the Modi government has brought another method to remove the Chief Ministers from the non-ruled BJP states.

“Even if there is no charge against someone, charges can be made and are being made under this Government. People are being jailed under false, serious charges. In states that do not have BJP CMs or Ministers, another method to remove them power is being brought by this Government. Democratic norms are not left anymore. Those who are bringing this Bill, are not getting one thing – once they go out of power, they won’t come back. Their own people have started opposing them,” Ram Gopal Yadav said.

However, BJP leader Boora Narsaiah Goud termed the move a “historical necessity” and a long-pending bill.

“The decision of the government of India to introduce the historical bill to remove the prime minister or any other state minister who is arrested for more than 30 days in any corruption case that involves more than five years of imprisonment is a very historical necessity and a long-pending bill,” Goud told ANI.

“Today, every voter believes that all politicians are corrupt. Because of PM Modi and the NDA government, some credibility is brought into politics… The entire population of the nation will welcome this bill, except the corrupt INDIA bloc alliance,” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce three bills in Lok Sabha on Wednesday – including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to remove a Central or State Minister who is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days.

According to the List of Business in the Lok Sabha, Shah will introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The Union Home Minister will further move to refer these Bills to a Joint Committee of the Houses consisting of 21 Members of the Lok Sabha to be nominated by the Speaker and 10 Members of the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the Deputy Chairman.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges.

It stated that a Minister facing allegations of serious criminal offences, who is arrested and detained in custody, may undermine the principles of constitutional morality and good governance, ultimately eroding the constitutional trust people have in him.

New Delhi, August 20: Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to introduce three bills in Lok Sabha on Wednesday – including a Constitution Amendment bill, a bill to amend the Union Territories Act, 1963 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025.

The three legislations, along with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, are listed in the revised agenda of Lok Sabha for Wednesday.

The Union Home Minister is slated to introduce the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The three bills are slated to be referred to the Joint Committee of the two Houses.

Opposition members reacted sharply to the government’s move to bring the bills in the revised agenda that was put out late evening, saying it is an attempt to distract attention from their protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges.

According to the statement on objects and reasons of the bill, elected representatives represent the hopes and aspirations of the people of India.

“It is expected that they rise above political interests and act only in the public interest and for the welfare of people. It is expected that the character and conduct of Ministers holding the office should be beyond any ray of suspicion,” the statement said.

It said that a Minister, who is facing allegation of serious criminal offences, arrested and detained in custody, may thwart or hinder the canons of constitutional morality and principles of good governance and eventually diminish the constitutional trust reposed by people in him.

However, there is no provision under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) for removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister who is arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges.

“In view of the above, there is a need to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, for providing legal framework for removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in such cases,” the statement said.

Section (5A) is sought to be inserted in the bill. As per section (5A) a minister, who for any period of thirty consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall be removed from his office, by the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister to be tendered by the thirty-first day, after being taken in such custody:

The bill provides that if the advice of the Chief Minister for the removal of such Minister is not tendered to the Lieutenant Governor by the thirty-first day, he shall cease to be a Minister, with effect from the day falling thereafter.

The amendment also provides that in case of the Chief Minister, who for any period of thirty consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall tender his resignation by the thirty-first day after such arrest and detention, and if he does not tender his resignation, he shall cease to be the Chief Minister, with effect from the day falling thereafter:

It also provides that nothing in this sub-section shall prevent such Chief Minister or Minister from being subsequently appointed as the Chief Minister or a Minister, by the Lieutenant Governor, on his release from custody, as per sub-section (1).”.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi slammed the government over the provisions of the bill.
“Wht a vicious circle! No guildelines for arrest followed! Arrests of opposition leaders rampant and disproportionate. New proposed law removes incumbent #CM etc immly on arrest. Best way to destabilise opposition is to unleash biased central agencies to arrest oppo CMs and despite being unable to defeat them electorally, remove them by arbitrary arrests!! And no ruling party incumbent CM ever touched!!” he said in a post on X.

Party leader Gaurav Gogoi said the government is trying to divert attention from Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Adhikar Yatra.

“The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Shri Rahul Gandhi. First CSDS – BJP IT cell drama and now these bills. Clearly the winds of change are blowing in Bihar,” he said in a post on X.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said Modi government is resorting to “stunts in the dead of night”

“In the dead of night, more stunts from the shaky 239 seat Modi coalition as they look for more ways to MOCK & DISRUPT PARLIAMENT,” he said in a post on X.

The monsoon session of Parliament has witnessed continuous disruptions over the opposition demand for discussion on the SIR in Bihar.

New Delhi, Aug 20: A fresh wave of bomb threats has hit the national capital as multiple schools in Delhi received threatening emails early Wednesday morning, prompting immediate emergency responses from the Delhi Police and Fire Services.

According to officials, two schools, SKV Malviya Nagar and Andhra School, Prasad Nagar, received bomb threat emails around 7:40 a.m. and 7:42 a.m., respectively. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) confirmed that these emails triggered the swift deployment of search teams, bomb disposal squads, and police units to the concerned locations.

Police and other cooperating agencies are on-site, and comprehensive search operations are currently underway.

The DFS also warned of the possibility that more schools may have been targeted, suggesting a broader investigation is being pursued.

The situation has once again raised alarm among students, parents, and school staff, coming just days after a similar incident.

On August 18, Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka had to be evacuated following a bomb threat call received around 7:00 a.m. In that case too, authorities responded immediately, and bomb squads conducted a thorough search.

Fortunately, the threat turned out to be a hoax.

The latest scare also brings back chilling memories of an incident last month, when over 50 schools across Delhi received similar email threats.

Those messages caused widespread panic, forcing several institutions to shift to online classes and prompting city-wide emergency operations involving dog squads, fire brigades, and bomb disposal teams. All of those threats were later deemed non-credible.

In each of these cases, evacuation and on-site verification remain the standard protocol, ensuring the safety of students and staff before normal operations are resumed.

The Delhi Police are currently investigating the origin of the latest emails, while cybercrime units are working to trace the sender or group responsible for what appears to be a recurring pattern of disruption.

Authorities are urging the public to remain calm but vigilant, as the safety of children and school communities remains the highest priority.