New Delhi, 20 July (H.S.):

The first day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session was marred by repeated disruptions on Monday as opposition parties protested over several issues, including the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, paper leaks in NEET and other examinations, and the concerns of students protesting at Jantar Mantar. Due to continuous disruptions, proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were repeatedly adjourned, and eventually, both Houses were adjourned until Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the ‘Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026’, which seeks to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, was introduced in the Lok Sabha. However, a proposed bill in the Rajya Sabha regarding granting ‘Vande Mataram’ the same honour as the national anthem could not be introduced.

Security arrangements remained tightened outside the Parliament complex due to protests by various organisations, affecting movement on roads leading to and from the Parliament building.

As soon as the Lok Sabha proceedings began, Speaker Om Birla expressed condolences over the demise of six former members, including former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. After paying tributes, the House was first adjourned until 12 noon, followed by three brief adjournments, before being suspended for the day at 3 pm. During this period, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill seeking an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges.

Meanwhile, on the opening day of the Monsoon Session, nine newly elected members took oath as members of the Rajya Sabha. Those who took oath included Mukeshbhai J. Rathva from Gujarat, Pawan Khera from Karnataka, Mahesh Kevat from Madhya Pradesh, James Pangasang Kongkal Sangma from Meghalaya, Khyangte Laltluanglima from Mizoram, Satish Poonia from Rajasthan, and Prakash Chik Baraik, Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray from West Bengal.

Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan expressed grief over the demise of former members Balbir Punj, Swapan Sadhan Bose (Tutu Bose), Rangasayi Ramakrishna and H. Hanumanthappa, and also paid tribute to the former Emir of Qatar.

After the tributes, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised concerns over the alleged lathi-charge on students protesting at Jantar Mantar and the issue of paper leaks in NEET and other examinations, demanding immediate discussion on these matters. Due to the opposition’s continued protests, proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were adjourned multiple times — first until 12 noon, then 12:30 pm, followed by 12:50 pm, 2 pm and later 2:30 pm.

When the House resumed after lunch, Deputy Chairman Harivansh appealed to members to maintain the dignity of Parliament, stating that the House is a platform for dialogue and discussion and that no legislative business could be conducted throughout the day. However, as the disruptions continued, he adjourned the Rajya Sabha until 11 am on Tuesday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar