If you've just joined us, the 60th anniversary of the 60th anniversary of the first session of Parliament ended as scheduled at around 4:30 pm. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha held special sittings today. The sitting was peppered with peeves and some excellent oratory (Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley), but what prevailed was a salute to India's Parliamentary democracy and the institution of Parliament.

Both houses passed resolutions asking members to uphold the dignity of Parliament. 

A cultural programme featuring Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Sitarist Debu Chaudhuri, Carnatic vocalist Maharajapuram Ramachandran, versatile singer Shubha Mudgal and Iqbal Khan will light up the evening.

Mayawati (BSP): Narrow political interest has had a profound impact on the Parliamentary democracy hampering welfare measures. She said due to this political and individual selfishness, "we have also not been able to eradicate corruption because of which the people of the country have been forced to demand something like the Lokpal Bill."

Pranab Mukherjee (Cong): Parliament has acted as a "shock absorber" on several occasions and whenever there have been disputes, dissensions, the Lok Sabha has played a role in defusing it. Read more on rediff.com.

D Raja (CPI) highlighted the role of galaxy of Communist parliamentarians.
"We have been articulating our concerns based on an ideology," he said adding India needs electoral reforms and state funding of elections. He said Parliament needs to work for more number of days. "We have a common responsibility" to strengthen Parliament. 

Shanta Kumar (BJP) drew the attention of the members towards corruption and pointed out that blackmoney was being used in elections. He stressed that in "this very session, we must pass the Lok Pal Bill" or else people would say that the 60 year celebration was just a "ritual". 

Karan Singh (Cong), four times MP each in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, he said the 60-year celebration is a day of rejoice as well as introspection. He said the greatest contribution of Indian Parliament is that it has provided political stability and every citizen is stakeholder.

Senior BJP leader Najma Heptulla requested the Prime Minister for passage of the Women Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha as a "gift" to mark the occasion. The Upper House, of which she was Vice-Chairman for 17 years, has already passed the Bill. Heptulla paid homage to those who laid their lives to protect Parliament when terrorists attacked it in December 2001.

H K Dua (Nom) said the Rajya Sabha has a restraining effect on the on policy making in the country and has been united in facing the national crisis together.
He said consensus should be evolved among parties for tackling issues such as terrorism, naxalism and challenges faced by the country from both internal and external sources. 

(Dua has been the Editor of the Hindustan Times, Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Express, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Publications and Editorial Advisor of The Times of India.)

To quickly run you through who spoke what in Parliament.

PM: Parliament is a unique representaion of diversity. We should find ways out of impasses. More on rediff.com

Sushma Swaraj: House has strength to overcome disruptions. In India, votes not guns change government.

Arun Jaitley: "There is no substitute to the credibility of parliamentary institution as far as its functioning is concerned," he stressed.

With the PM's speech, the Lok Sabha adjourns for the day. All members rise for the National Song. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned a while ago.

Sushma Swaraj talks about women's representation in Parliament (with a tribute to the late Indira Gandhi) and ends her very excellent speech saying the cure for democracy is more democracy.

Applause in the house, across party lines.

Sushma Swaraj says there was a time when newspapers would increase the number of pages by at least two when the Parliament was in session. Because India wanted to know what was happening in Parliament by their elected representatives. That, sadly doesn't exist any more because of what happens in Parliament.

She also speaks about women's representation in Parliament and pays tribute to Speaker Meira Kumar saying she is proud to have a woman heading the lower house.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj speaks. She says 40 per cent of Parliamentarians are from rural India. One of our good, solid orators. Speaks on, precisely what we just posted -- good oratory.

There was a time when Parliament resonated with the oratory of Jawaharlal Nehru and Ram Manohar Lohia, Hiren Mukherjee and Piloo Modi.

In recent years, MPs such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandra Shekhar and Somnath Chatterjee upheld the tradition.

But today, one is used to a situation where neither the Treasury nor the Opposition can field a good speaker during an important debate. Many see it as a crisis in Indian politics that even the two principal parties have to rely on lawyers such as Kapil Sibal and Arun Jaitley when they need someone to make a forceful speech.

Surveys have revealed that MPs' average educational qualifications have improved over the decades. If 41 per cent of the members between 1952 and 1957 were undergraduates, the percentage fell to 18 by 1999.

Thats's the report on the Telegraph, Calcutta. Read

As the two Houses of Parliament celebrate their 60th Birthday on May 13 (they came into being on May 13, 1952), parliamentarians are in a celebratory mood and are preparing for a special sitting on that day, despite it being a Sunday. However, as all Indians know, the Sixtieth birthday (Shashtaabdi Poorthi) is also a day for some sober reflection on life gone by and on what lies ahead. 

Read the blog on Jagran Post.

"We seriously should consider, through a Constitutional Amendment, if necessary, making it mandatory for 100 sittings a year. I think, that is necessary as a corrective step for the future," he said participating in a debate on 60 years of Indian Parliament. He said the closest the Parliament sat for 100 days was
in 1992 with 98 sittings. The 14th Lok Sabha, Yechury observed, was marked by the least in the Parliament history with 332 sittings with an average of 66 a year.

"Worst, 24 per cent of this time was lost due to disruptions and adjournments," he said. He held that unless the Parliament sits for a longer duration, its vigilance over the Government will not be effective. "Thus, the executive's accountability to the legislature becomes the casualty. This seriously undermines our Constitutional scheme of things and endanger authoritarian tendency," he underscored.

He speaks on the nebulous idea of India and therefore Parliament. Also speaks of disruptions in Parliament, civil society vs Parliament and the need for MPs to remember that they enshrine the aspirations of billions of Indians.  

A Rajya Sabha MP wants the telecast from the Upper House to be stopped in favour of only the Lok Sabha. Congress MP Rajiv Shukla asks the MP what is the logic behind this "strange request." "Don't forget that the country is watching the proceedings and has noted that you don't want the RS proceedings to be telecast. If Lok Sabha can work, why can't Rajya Sabha? I have nothing more to say."

The chair, Prof PJ Kurien, says both telecasts will continue and admonishes the member saying Rajya Sabha cannot be secondary to the Lok Sabha.

Short takes on who said what today:

Shivanand Tiwari (JD-U) said fundamental forces are strengthening and the right to dissent should be honoured as it is the spirit of democracy.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) expressed fear over growing political cynicism and appealed that efforts should be made to raise high standards in Parliament to sustain public trust. (He spoke in Bengali.)

Mohan Singh (SP) said efforts must be made to further strengthen the democracy.    

Tiruchi Siva (DMK) welcomed introduction of committee system and televising Parliamentary proceedings. 

Tariq Anwar (NCP) on waste of Parliament time in disruptions: "It has been said in this House that 30 per cent of time is wasted due to disruption. If we have to strengthen our democracy, we must debate without disruption."
He noted that irrespective of political parties,government should take steps to curb corruption, terrorism and extremism. 

V Maitreyan (AIADMK) said there has been a tendency to undermine the powers of federal state and that Parliament should take a serious re-look on this issue. He demanded more time to small parties.

This is what E Ahmad said: No place in democracy for violence or communal disharmony. Despite our immense diversity are still held together, which is the reason why we must uphold unity in diversity.

HD Kumaraswamy: The journey of the Indian Parliament has been historic. We need to celebrate great leaders and parliamentarians of India.

After another seven minutes of "no Muslim representation" and how Muslims like him had chosen to stay back in this country during Partition, but they have found little or no justice, primarily because of little or no representation in Parl.  

Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad is lamenting that far less Muslims have been elected to Parliament. Owaisi points to the lack of representation of Muslims in Parliament -- says Muslims are not getting representative justice -- from people who profess to protect the rights of minorities.

Unusual that the Speaker is allowing him to continue because each time an MP tried to ensure party politics, they have been admonished.  

Tolerance and understanding for each others' views and debates in Parliament can solve issues. "Parliament is a major example of that," he said adding that he endorsed the views of Pranab Mukherjee that differences can be resolved through debates. 

Referring to famous thinker Charvak, Advani said his line of 'eat, drink and make merry' was understood and respected despite the fact that he challenged the traditional philosophy that you pay for your sins in the next birth.

The BJP leader said people sceptical of a country of poor and illiterate people becoming a successful democracy have been proved wrong. 

"Western intellectuals were sceptical on how people who cannot sign and put thumb impression on papers will be able to run democracy...today we can say it with pride that we have proved them wrong," he said.

MPs continue speaking in both houses (CPI's D Raja in the RS, now), and while that happens, a Parliament factoid: The Parliament was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker. The foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 and the building was formally inaugurated by the then governor-general Lord Irwin on January 18, 1927. The total cost of construction: Rs 83 lakh. That's about 20 lakh less than a 2BHK in the distant Mumbai suburb, Thane. 

Gurudas Dasgupta: This is a solemn occasion to recall the martyrs who made freedom possible, he says. Paying homage to the Mahatama he says, nobody is however, talking about Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. "It is unfortunate. He had the courage to go outside the country and form the Indian National Army. We salute him."

Small applause from  MPs.

He also pays tribute to leaders of the fredoom movement  -- Bagha Jatin,  Khudiram, Bhagat Singh -- al revolutionaries. Dasgupta says the national movement is not an example of non-violence only.

Pointing to the absence of former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee in the house (the BJP leader is unwell), Lalu says, "This house misses a person of his stature and we salute him. Hum unhe pranam kartein hain"

Making an important point, Lalu says it is a tragedy that national parties have broken up into small factional, regional parties. Some MP tries to point out that the RJD is a regional party, but the Speaker tells him not to interrupt.

Looking at Pranab Mukherjee he says, "Dada is a senior leader and he has the right to admonish us. We should  listen to him. We wish him a long and healthy life"

Pranab smiles. And then, of course, Lalu adds sweetly, "And we should remember that as people age, they become more irritable. Pranab-da is a senior leader."

Laughter and applause from MPs including Pranab, who is know to get irritable on occasion.

Dramatically raising his voice he says there is more Lok than tantra in Loktantra (democracy) and allegations that MPs are cheats and looters is completely unacceptable. This is a reference to Team Anna's allegations on Parliamentarians.

He says he will not take take up any more time, but points out that members of the media have disappeared. "They expect us to be present, but excuse themselves."

Congress MP and former Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh finds this amusing.

Lalu is speaking extempore, except for the first few minutes.

MPs upset at "no lunch break" announcement in both Houses. Prof PJ Kurien admonishes an MP in the RS who says the Chair is being indifferent to the needs of MPs. "No, no, you can't say indifferent," says Kurien. "When I made the announcement, why didn't you raise the point," he asks and like Meira Kumar points out, today is a historic day and lunch, while available, should wait.

A few minutes ago food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said that the nation is losing respect for the Parliament. Pawar points out that MPs should look within and this disrespect stems from the behaviour in Parliament and regular disruptions.  

Sharad Pawar speaking in the LS. More of that in a bit.

Speaker Meira Kumar announces that the House will skip lunch since this is a historic occasion. Murmurs of discontent, amid reassurances that provisions for lunch have been made in room number 10. Meira Kumar says the House is self-regulatory today and urges other MPs, specially Independents to speak. 

Mostly empty benches in the Rajya Sabha. Prof P K Kurien is in the chair now. A BJD MP is speaking.  

The mood in Parliament remains genteel, genial. Outside Parliament, disdain on Twitter

@I_rkmishra On 60 th anniversary of Indian Parliament, Indians miss the oratory of NEHRU, Lohia, Somnath Chatterjee, Vajpayee, Chandrasehar type orators

@satyabhashnam Bunch of hypocrites r meeting in Indian Parliament to celebrate "democracy" while disregarding Rights guaranteed in constitution in practice

@JessuGeorge 60 years of Indian Parliament and still we see immature politicians disrupting question hour for silly reasons.

NCP's Tariq Anwar speaking in the Rajya Sabha.

While he does, here's a reminder. In case you have been preoccupied with Satyamev Jayate, today is Mother's Day. Make a difference to her life today -- be nice and stay nice.

Since 11 am when the special session of Parliament began, the PM, Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee have touched upon the need for debates and unfortunate and regrettable disruptions in the house.

When the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha hold special sittings on Sunday to mark the 60 anniversary of the first session of Parliament, T.M. Kaliannan, surviving member of the Provisional Parliament, will not be present. The 91-year-old Kaliannan is probably the only surviving member of the Provisional Parliament.

He was barely 28 years old when he became a member of the House. "After P. Subbarayan (1889-1962) quit the House on his appointment as the Ambassador of Indonesia [in December 1949], I became a member (representing Congress),' he recalls, adding that his membership in the Provisional Parliament was for a short period. The Provisional Parliament functioned until the first general election and formation of the first Lok Sabha in 1952.

More on the Hindu

Sudip Bandopadhyay of the TMC speaks in the LS.

Reading from his notes, he says Parliament should be effective, responsible.

"I congratulate you and the members of this august House and the people of India as we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament of India."

Full speech here

In the evening, President Pratibha Patil will address a joint sitting of both Houses in the Central Hall.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister and Kumar will also address the joint sitting.

The president will release coins of Rs 5 and Rs 10 denomination to mark the occasion along with a special stamp and three books -- Members' Introduction: First Lok Sabha; Speakers of Lok Sabha and '60 years of the Lok Sabha: An Analysis' on the ocassion.

Patil will also release five other books 'Selected Speeches of Women Members of the Constituent Assembly', 'Welcome Respected Chairman', '60 years of the Rajya Sabha', 'Computerisation of the Rajya Sabha: An Overview' and 'Nominated Members of the Rajya Sabha'.

Outside of Parliament, Anna Hazare has invited Army Chief Gen V K Singh to join his team after his retirement to fight corruption.

"We will welcome Gen V K Singh, if he wants to involve in this national movement after retirement," Hazare was quoted as saying by his close aide Suresh Pathare in twitter. Hazare's response came to a question yesterday while he was touring Maharashtra.

"Anna's invite to General VK is most appropriate. Imagine if ex-servicemen join Anna they can become a formidable voice against corruption," Team Anna member Kiran Bedi tweeted today.

This is the first time Team Anna is extending a direct invitation to Singh to join his movement. 

Last month, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal while extending support to Singh had said that the Army chief they were sure that he will take a decision on what he will do after retirement on May 31.

MPs still speaking in Parliament...

Here's some facts on Parliamen: Inside Parliament are the Central Hall, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. There is also a four-storeyed circular building that houses committee rooms, parliamentary offices and rooms for media persons who come to cover parliamentary proceedings. The parliament library is the second largest in India. While the Central Hall is air-cooled, the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and reading rooms are air-conditioned. There are six lifts in the complex.

If you've just joined us, so far, Dr Manmohan Singh initiated the discussion on the Sixty Years Journey of the Indian Parliament this morning at 11 am, immediately after the National anthem was sung. This was followed by speeches by other Parliamentarans in both houses. 

The prime minister looked back on his own time in the Upper House and said:  "I have been a part of this august House for 21 years. I can say with conviction that we have met the test of essentiality."

The PM recalled the words of India's second president and former member of Rajya Sabha Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He said, "The resilience of the Indian democracy is the proudest achievement of the India state. The people are making their voice increasingly heard by voting in parliamentary and state assembly elections."

He called upon "all of us to respect our institution of democracy."

Sonia ends her speech amid applause. SP boss Mulayam Singh Yadav speaking after her.

In the Rajya Sabha, CPI (M) Sitaram Yechury's speech is being cut short by the chair. Quotes from Dr Babasaheb Amdekar's first speech in Parliament. 

Sonia pays tribute to the Mahatma. "He was no longer alive when Parliment first met 60 years ago. My deepest tribute to the Mahatma. His wisdom prevailed, however, and he gave this institution dignity, love and peace.

Sonia says the common man has voted with intelligence and wisdom.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi addresses the house. Thanks Meira Kumar for allowing her to speak. She goes back to the 1947, Partition, scarce resources, poverty, decades of struggle.

"To our eternal credit and gratitude, our early Parliamentarians persevered and built the edifice of a strong Parliamentary democracy. People's power has fared well at the highest level of democracy," says Sonia.  

In the Rajya Sabha, Mayawati still speaking.

Just like the PM, Pranab also pointed out that disruptions have to give way to debate.

If you've just joined us, this is a live commentary on the Parliament's 60th anniversary.

Bonhomie in Parliament. Pranab earlier said: I am notorious for long speeches, but I promise to keep this short. Today, is special. (Huge smile from Mr Mukherjee, while MPs laugh. Sonia Gandhi flashes a smile.)

Former UP chief minister Mayawati speaking in the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, PM said it was regrettable that Parliament is disrupted on numerous occasions.

Arun Jaitley says 65 years ago when we achieved Independence, we had many battles on our hand. We were faced with the challenge of unity among diversity. Prophets of doom wondered if India would survive democracy.

No other country has faced cross-border terrorism as much as we have faced. But we survived to become a major power in the world. It's a tribute to our Parliamentary system that despite divergence, when it came to the call of for unity, we all stood up as one nation.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha rises to speak.

The PM says the people of India have always historically reposed their faith in the institution of Parliamentary democracy. It is incumbent upon all of us to respect the spirit of this democracy.

When parliamentarians will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament on Sunday, Rishang Keishing and Resham Lal Jangade, the only living members of the first Lok Sabha session in 1952, will be among those who will address the special joint session. Rediff.com's Priyanka caught up with two of the oldest living parliamentarians in India, who reflected on the 60-year journey of the country's supreme legislative body.

Read it here.

@ajith27 Most Parliamentarians are older than the Parliament  

@YashwanthL 60 years since our Parliament was established. Not even a single day we saw an efficient house.  

@sardesairajdeep best way our MPs can celebrate 60 years of parliament is by committing to not disrupt question hour. Not too much to ask?  

@ya_this_1 60 years of indian parliament.. Now scenarion changed. Most of members are corrupt. We should again bring change in this changed scenario  

Derek O'Brien @quizderek On the day Parliament celebrates its 60th birthday... one year ago on this day,Trinamool Congress won a historic election in #bengal

Omar Abdullah @abdullah_omar Am proud of having been a member for more than 10 of those 60 years #Parliament

Good morning and welcome to this special edition of Live! news. Today, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, will holdin special sittings that will focus on the incredible journey of the Indian Parliament' as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first session.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha while Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will do it in the Lok Sabha. Singh and Mukherjee are the Leaders of the two Houses.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who is the moving spirit behind the idea, would make the opening remarks from the Chair to mark the special day of the largest parliamentary democracy in the world. Besides prominent members from all sides, independents are also being accommodated in the over five-hour discussion.

A few living members of the first Lok Sabha, including Reishang Keishing and Resham Lal Jangde, will be honoured on the occasion.

14 flights cancelled today as AI crisis enters sixth day (Hindustan Times)
10 flights from Delhi and 4 from Mumbai were cancelled today as the stand-off between the pilots and the management of Air India enter sixth day, media reports said. Read

Karnataka CM downplays crisis in cabinet (Hindustan Times)
Facing a fresh bout of revolt against his leadership, Karnataka chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda said he was unaware of resignation by some ministers in the state. Read

Sunday Special on House menu (Hindustan Times)
On an unusual working Sunday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will lead members of both Houses to highlight the 60-year journey of parliamentary democracy in India. Read

Ladakh clash: CO relieved of charge, unit to be disbanded (The Times of India)
Shaken by the violent clash between officers & jawans of an artillery regiment at Nyoma, the Army on Saturday relieved" the commanding officer of his charge.

Read

Brahmin sperms in high demand among childless couples (The Times of India)
Its well known that couples shopping for sperm demand both looks and brains. But what is not so well known is a more outrageous request, a caste-based sperm. Read

Activists vandalise scholar's office (The Hindu)
The Republican Panthers Party of India (affiliated to the RPI-Athavale) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Read