NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill amid an Opposition walkout. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman referred to it a “sad state”, saying the Opposition had “chosen to walk out from an important debate.” Sitharaman said the Bill, which proposed amendments to the 1891 Act, would “strenghten public confidence.”
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Tuesday, August 11, as the Opposition continued to create uproar over various issues. Meanwhile, the Centre has reportedly agreed to discuss the student agitation in Parliament and union home minister Amit Shah is set to reply on the issue in the houses.
Ahead of the session on Monday, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi sought union home minister Amit Shah’s resignation over the alleged police brutality carried out against the protesters on July 20.
Four bills were tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday as scheduled. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, seeks to change the name of the state to Keralam. The second bill, National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes wider financing powers to the NCDC.
The third bill introduced on Monday was the Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026, which was passed without a debate amid sloganeering by the Opposition. Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was the last bill to be tabled before the lower house was adjourned for the day.
Govt yet to decide on FCRA Bill
The FCRA bill is likely to be taken up in the ongoing session. However Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is yet to take a decision in the matter. The Opposition has alleged that the FCRA bill will target religious and minority organisations, which often rely on foreign funding.
The monsoon session of the parliament began on July 20 and is set to conclude on August 13.
