NEW DELHI, July 19: The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins Monday with the government and the Opposition expected to clash over a range of political and legislative issues. The session will continue until Aug. 13 and will include 19 sittings over 25 days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the media at Hans Dwar, Parliament House, before the session begins.
The session will also mark the parliamentary debut of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), formed by 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who announced their merger with the regional party and aligned with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired a Business Advisory Committee meeting on Sunday, where representatives from political parties discussed the legislative agenda and major public issues. Birla urged members to ensure constructive debates, meaningful participation, and full cooperation for a productive session.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired an all-party meeting at the Parliament House Complex. The meeting was attended by 58 leaders representing 40 political parties, including Union ministers.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the legislative agenda for the session had already been published by both Houses of Parliament on July 16.
Opposition parties briefly staged a symbolic walkout during the all-party meeting to protest the government’s decision to invite the NCPI, whose parliamentary status remains under consideration by the Lok Sabha Speaker. The Opposition returned shortly afterward to participate in the discussions.
The protest followed the Speaker’s decision to allot separate seating to the 20 rebel TMC MPs.
Rijiju said the walkout should not be viewed as a boycott.
“It should not be viewed as a boycott of the entire day’s proceedings; it was symbolic,” he told reporters.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government’s decision, saying the NCPI was merely a “parking place” for the rebel TMC MPs while the Speaker had yet to take a final decision on their merger.
TMC leader Mahua Moitra said the entire Opposition registered its protest because the rebel MPs’ merger had not been formally approved despite separate seating being allotted.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the party staged the walkout to uphold constitutional principles, while Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant also questioned the recognition being extended to rebel legislators.
Rebel TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay attended the meeting as leader of the NCPI and called for the smooth functioning of Parliament.
“Let the House run. We firmly believe in secularism, communal harmony, and national unity. We remain committed to those principles, which are enshrined in the NCPI constitution,” Bandyopadhyay told ANI.
Among the key legislations scheduled for introduction is the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to replace the ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal will introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha.
The government is also expected to introduce the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025.
The proposed FCRA amendment provides for the cessation of an organization’s registration upon expiry or non-renewal and establishes a framework for managing foreign contributions and related assets. The legislation has drawn attention ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections due to its potential impact on NGOs and organizations receiving foreign funding.
The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill seeks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) with a new higher education regulatory framework. It would also bring Institutes of National Importance under regulatory oversight for the first time.
The bill has faced criticism over a provision requiring the proposed higher education commission to follow policy directions issued by the Central government. However, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has maintained that the provision does not alter the existing legal framework.
Rijiju also addressed concerns regarding the numerical strength of political parties in Parliament, saying no member could be deprived of their rights despite changes in party alignments.
The debate over parliamentary numbers follows recent political realignments. The Speaker approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, increasing that party’s Lok Sabha strength to 13 while reducing the UBT faction to three MPs.
The Speaker has also approved separate seating for the 20 rebel TMC MPs, although their merger with the NCPI has yet to receive formal recognition.
The NDA currently holds 298 seats in the Lok Sabha, including the Speaker. If the TMC rebels’ merger is approved, the alliance’s strength would increase to 318, bringing it closer to the two-thirds majority mark of 360 in the 540-member House, where three seats are currently vacant.
The discussion over parliamentary strength comes amid speculation that the government may seek to revive the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposes increasing Lok Sabha membership to 850 seats and implementing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, providing 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures. The proposal was defeated in April after receiving 298 votes.
Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and TMC, continue to oppose the proposed delimitation exercise, while the DMK has adopted a wait-and-watch approach, maintaining that the representation of southern states should not be adversely affected.
The Opposition is also expected to raise issues including the alleged Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement case and the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh has already submitted a Suspension of Business notice in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 to seek a discussion on the NEET-UG paper leak. (ANI)
About The Author
