Parliament Starkly Divided: Session Concludes with Online-Gaming Ban, ‘Tainted Ministers’ Bill, and Persistent Uproar
Parliament wrapped its Monsoon Session with low productivity, protests over Bihar’s voter review, and key bills like online-gaming ban passed.
15 Bills, 37 Hours of Work, Endless Disruptions: Inside Parliament’s Fractious Monsoon Session
The Monsoon Session of India’s Parliament concluded today amid persistent protests, limited debate time, and the passage of key legislation, marking a contentious close to a fractious 32-day period.
** What happened:**
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die. Despite repeated disruptions, legislators passed 15 bills across both Houses, including a sweeping ban on real-money online gaming and proposed rules forcing the resignation of “tainted ministers.”
** Productivity crushed by protests:**
The Lok Sabha sat for only 37 of the scheduled 120 hours, while the Rajya Sabha managed around 41 hours, reflecting productivity of just about 31–39%.
** Key flashpoints:**
A prolonged Special Discussion on Operation Sindoor, held in response to a Pahalgam terror attack, spanned nearly 19 hours in Lok Sabha and 16 hours in Rajya Sabha, with PM and Home Minister delivering replies.
Opposition protests centered on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. MPs resorted to sloganeering, placards, and walkouts—prompting Speaker Om Birla to denounce the behavior and call for introspection.
** Legislative highlights:**
The Session cleared several major bills: the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, the Income-Tax (No. 2) Bill, 2025, Indian Ports Bill, Mines & Minerals Amendment Bill, National Sports Governance Bill, IIM Amendment Bill, among others, totaling 15 across both Houses.
** Government’s view vs. opposition dissent:**
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju described the Session as “fruitful for the government,” while accusing the Opposition of deliberate stalling.
