Amidst widespread student protests and allegations of paper leaks, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's dharna outside the Prime Minister's residence has prompted the government to declare its willingness for a comprehensive parliamentary debate on the contentious NEET examination.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted in Lok Sabha that the Opposition cannot dictate which minister responds to questions, amidst demands for Home Minister Amit Shah to address police action on protesting students. The House faced continuous disruptions, leading to adjournment.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh advocates for an unbiased evaluation of 'Vande Mataram', asserting it and 'Anand Math' were against British imperialism, not Islam.
The Lok Sabha has referred the contentious Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee for thorough scrutiny.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that voting on three crucial bills, including amendments to the women's quota law and the establishment of a delimitation commission, will take place at 4 PM on Friday, following an anticipated 15-18 hour debate.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
India's Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded with significantly low productivity, marked by frequent disruptions and protests from the Opposition, primarily the Congress, leading to minimal debate on key legislation.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur has submitted a notice of breach of privilege and contempt of the House against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging use of "unparliamentary and derogatory language" and "unsubstantiated allegations" against Home Minister Amit Shah during a Lok Sabha debate.
An aggressive opposition is expected to corner the government over US President Donald Trump's claims that he mediated to avert a nuclear war between India and Pakistan, and got them to agree on a "ceasefire".
The Lok Sabha stalemate is expected to conclude as Speaker Om Birla has secured an agreement from all political parties to discuss the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026. This bill proposes stricter punishments, including up to 10 years in jail and a Rs 50 lakh fine, for paper leak offences, following recent nationwide student protests over the NEET fiasco.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called for an independent Supreme Court-monitored high-powered committee to investigate alleged brutalities against students during protests. He also demanded the sacking of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of culpability or incompetence regarding the police action, including the use of pellet guns. The BJP has refuted Gandhi's allegations, calling them baseless.
The DMK has been charting an independent course from the Congress-led Opposition bloc on contentious issues during the Monsoon Session, including not joining a walkout over the anti-paper leak bill and participating in a debate on the National Honour Bill, signalling growing fault lines within the Opposition.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly has adopted a resolution, moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, urging the Union government to permanently fix the Lok Sabha strength at 543 and implement 33 per cent women's reservation by 2029. The resolution also opposes delimitation that could disadvantage states successful in population control.
After six days of stalemate, a discussion on the anti-paper leak bill began on Tuesday in Lok Sabha with the government describing it as a reaffirmation of ruling dispensation's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students but opposition hit back over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying every blow on them hurt the government's prestige more than the backs of the youth.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to discuss resolving the persistent deadlock in the Lok Sabha's monsoon session, focusing on the Delimitation Bill and FCRA Bill, though no immediate commitment was secured from the Congress leader.
Relentless protests by Opposition parties forced the adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the day after the passage of the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill without a debate on Wednesday, with the government accusing them of coming to the House to disrupt proceedings and not for discussion.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament for 2026 is scheduled from July 20 to August 13, with significant political developments expected following recent assembly poll results and internal party rebellions. The session will see the ruling NDA's strengthened position in the Rajya Sabha and potential redrafting of a key Constitution amendment bill.
Opposition parties have submitted notices in the Rajya Sabha demanding an urgent discussion on the alleged use of force, including pellet guns, against students protesting the NEET paper leak issue. They are seeking accountability from the Home Minister and Prime Minister regarding the police action and alleged assault on protesters and journalists.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the government over alleged police excesses against students, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi sack Home Minister Amit Shah. Gandhi also called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the "brutalities" and accused the Lok Sabha of silencing him when he tried to speak on the issue.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for staging a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence regarding the NEET paper-leak issue. Pradhan accused Gandhi of using students as "political tools" to disrupt Parliament, while asserting the government's commitment to discussing NEET concerns in the House. The incident involved Gandhi and other opposition leaders being detained after refusing to end their sit-in.
A panel set up by Lok Sabha Speaker to probe allegations of discovery of cash at the official premises of Justice Yashwant Varma has concluded that the charges of unexplained cash, disturbing evidence and evasive explanation against him "are proved".
On March 13, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had tabled the second batch of supplementary demands for grants in the House amounting to a total of Rs 2,70,508.89 crore.
The Lok Sabha, India's lower house of Parliament, will debate the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday. The bill has been met with strong opposition from several parties who claim it is unconstitutional. The government, however, insists the bill aims to improve the management of Waqf properties in India by bringing transparency and efficiency.
Legal experts are divided on whether an FIR can be lodged against former Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, who resigned after a Lok Sabha-appointed panel found him guilty of charges related to unexplained cash found at his residence.
The Congress party, through Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi, has criticised the proposed amendments to India's anti-paper leaks law, arguing that previous legislation has failed to prevent examination leaks. Gogoi highlighted the ongoing student protests and questioned the government's sincerity, particularly regarding the handling of the NEET fiasco and the welcome given to former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also raised concerns about the National Testing Agency's accountability.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Shah assured that the bill would not be retrospective. Various church and minority organisations have expressed concerns about the bill's impact on NGOs, schools, and healthcare units, urging its withdrawal or referral to a joint parliamentary committee.
BJP sources said the government would introduce a fresh Bill on the issue and has reached out to parties that opposed the earlier legislation.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed serious concern over ongoing student protests in Delhi, accusing the opposition of using them as a 'political tool' to further their interests. He urged opposition parties to raise issues in Parliament rather than on the streets, amidst demonstrations against the NEET paper leak.
Amidst widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, the Indian government has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The bill proposes significantly stricter punishments, including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks, and up to Rs 10 crore for organised crimes, aiming to enhance transparency and fairness in public examinations.
Opposition parties disrupted Lok Sabha proceedings on the opening day of the Monsoon Session, leading to multiple adjournments. Protests focused on the alleged NEET paper leak and Ram temple donation theft issues, with demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The House was eventually adjourned for the day after repeated appeals for order failed.
Congress-ruled states, including Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana, are preparing to challenge the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, in the Supreme Court. They allege the new law undermines states' rights by restricting their powers to levy taxes on mineral resources, a claim the Centre denies, stating it aims for uniform mineral rates.
The Rajya Sabha has passed The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, which aims to replace a British-era law and allow digital and virtual records to be admissible as evidence in courts. This legislation aligns with contemporary digital banking practices and extends a uniform evidential framework to various financial entities, including NBFCs and fintech companies. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the bill's role in strengthening public confidence and safeguarding customer privacy. The bill's passage, however, saw an Opposition walkout over unrelated issues.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate Friday on an Ethics Committee report recommending Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's expulsion in the cash-for-query issue, with the Opposition demanding she be allowed to speak in the House, and the government contending her views were heard by the panel.
Parliament proceedings were stalled for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday as loud protests by an unrelenting opposition over the NEET paper leak and demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation reverberated in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, leading to adjournment of the two Houses for the day without transacting any business.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging he authorised police excesses against student protesters and was 'scared' to face Parliament. Gandhi also accused the RSS of controlling India's education system and promoting 'andhbhakts'.
Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut and movie legend Sharmila Tagore are embroiled in a public debate over Vande Mataram.
The government on Tuesday asserted that a bill to set up a commission on appointment of judges is aimed at having a "fair procedure" for appointing judges to higher courts and it has no intention to have any confrontation with the judiciary on the issue.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's reference to the death of judge B H Loya 'long before his time' created uproar in Lok Sabha on Friday as Union minister Kiren Rijiju accused her of raising a matter settled by the Supreme Court, and warned of 'appropriate parliamentary action'.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that the situation in Manipur is largely under control, with no deaths reported in the last four months. However, he acknowledged that the situation cannot be considered satisfactory as displaced people are still living in relief camps. Shah attributed the violence to a high court decision regarding a reservation-related dispute, emphasizing that it was not terrorism-related but ethnic violence between two communities. He highlighted government efforts to establish peace, including discussions with both the Meitei and Kuki communities and a rehabilitation package for the displaced. While the opposition supported the resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule, they urged for a swift return to peace and normalcy in the state.
