On Tuesday, Parliament experienced another day of disruption during the Monsoon Session, as the Opposition persisted in their call for a debate regarding the NEET paper leak and the police’s response to protesters in Delhi. Observers predict that such disturbances are likely to continue in the days ahead.
Opposition representatives informed The Indian Express on Tuesday evening that they would allow parliamentary proceedings to resume only if their demands are addressed.
A member of Congress commented, “We will deliberate on this matter during the meeting of Opposition floor leaders on Wednesday morning. However, it appears unlikely that the House will function until the government responds to our requests.” Other Opposition party members echoed this sentiment, affirming that they would not permit the Parliament to operate unless their conditions are satisfied.
Congress whip in the Lok Sabha, Manickam Tagore, spoke to The Indian Express on Tuesday evening, outlining three key demands from the government. “Firstly, we require a discussion regarding the paper leaks associated with the NEET examination. Secondly, we are calling for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. Lastly, we want the government to withdraw all FIRs filed against the protesters,” he stated. “It is important to note that our leader, Rahul Gandhi, approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday to request time for a discussion on the NEET issue, but received no definitive response. Following that, he visited the injured students and led a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence. Despite these efforts, the government remains unyielding,” Tagore added.
Throughout the day, both Houses of Parliament faced several adjournments, significantly hindering legislative activity.
The Upper House experienced multiple adjournments as Opposition members from various parties raised banners and chanted slogans, resulting in minimal legislative progress. In the Lok Sabha, there were two successive adjournments before the day’s proceedings were ultimately suspended. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned almost immediately after Deputy Chairperson Harivansh took his seat, as Opposition leaders stood up and shouted slogans. Harivansh made several attempts to restore order, urging members to take their seats, but these efforts were unsuccessful.
Although the scheduled papers were presented as planned, no further progress was made regarding the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which aims to expand the authorized number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38. This bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday.
In the Lower House, Opposition MPs continued to chant slogans, demanding discussions on both the NEET paper leak and the police’s use of tear gas and batons against demonstrators advocating for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Speaker Om Birla ultimately adjourned the House after witnessing repeated disruptions.
Earlier, a group of Opposition leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, met with Speaker Birla to present their request for a discussion on the “brutality inflicted on students” and the “government’s total lack of accountability regarding the examination crisis.”
