Turbulent Monsoon Session Ends: 12 Bills Passed, Most Without Debate

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Thursday (August 13, 2026), marking the conclusion of a turbulent Monsoon session. The session was marked by persistent protests from Opposition parties over police action on agitating students and allegations regarding donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Several key bills were passed without discussion.

As the House convened, the national song was played in full, after which Speaker Om Birla announced the adjournment. Notably, the Speaker did not deliver the customary valedictory address, which typically highlights the productivity of the House during the session.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were present in the House during its brief sitting.

Throughout the session, which began on July 20, Opposition members staged protests, leading to repeated adjournments. Key issues included the alleged paper leak in the NEET examination and the police action against students who had gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20 to demand accountability in the education system. The Opposition also raised questions about the donations at the Ram temple.

The Opposition demanded a response from Home Minister Amit Shah on the student protests. In response, on August 12, Mr. Shah expressed readiness to participate in a debate, stating that dialogue and discussion are the only solutions in a democracy. He urged the Speaker to allocate time for the discussion in consultation with the Opposition.

Despite the disruptions, the House passed 12 Bills during the session. Among these, only two were debated in detail. The Bill amending the anti-paper leaks law saw a 10-hour discussion. The Bill seeking to make insult to the national song, 'Vande Mataram', a punishable offence had a symbolic debate with only two members speaking amid noisy protests.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Amendment Bill, which had been a point of contention between the government and the Opposition, was referred to a joint committee of Parliament for further examination. The Bill had been introduced earlier but was opposed by several religious organisations, including some from Kerala, which had upcoming Assembly elections.

The session also saw no Question Hour proceedings on any of the days due to the protests. On the final day, Opposition members raised slogans as the House met.

On the penultimate day of the session, the report of a committee investigating allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma was tabled in Parliament. The committee found that the charges of unexplained cash, disturbing evidence, and evasive explanation against him were proved. According to sources, the government may proceed with the impeachment process against the judge in the Winter session of Parliament.