Parliament adjourned sine die: Economic Times update

Published 13 August 2026 · politics

The Parliament was adjourned sine die on Thursday, concluding a stormy Monsoon Session marked by repeated disruptions, protests and heated political exchanges.The session, which began

The Parliament was adjourned sine die on Thursday, concluding a stormy Monsoon Session marked by repeated disruptions, protests and heated political exchanges.The session, which began on July 20 and was scheduled to run through August 13, saw 19 sittings, with the government pushing through a string of legislative measures even as proceedings were repeatedly disrupted by Opposition protests.NEET-UG row and CJP protests dominate sessionThe biggest political flashpoint was the NEET-UG controversy, with the Opposition repeatedly demanding a debate on alleged examination irregularities and the subsequent resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which emerged from a satirical campaign and evolved into a student-led protest movement, made Pradhan's resignation a central demand. Its agitation spilled into the streets around Parliament, including the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march, which coincided with the opening of the session.Inside Parliament, Opposition MPs repeatedly raised the NEET-UG issue and demanded Pradhan's resignation.

The government maintained that it was ready for a detailed debate, but insisted that the Opposition should allow the House to function without preconditions. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said a debate should proceed without attaching the minister's resignation to it.The standoff persisted despite the government's stated willingness to discuss the paper leak, with Opposition MPs demanding accountability from the Education Ministry. The Congress also called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a statement in Parliament and apologise to students.The political pressure eventually culminated in Pradhan's resignation on July 25, amid the continuing protests. In his resignation letter, Pradhan said the government had acted after irregularities emerged in the May 3 NEET-UG examination, including handing the investigation to the

CBI, cancelling the exam and announcing a re-examination.Government pushes through 11 billsDespite the disruptions, Parliament passed 10 bills through both Houses during the session, while the Lok Sabha separately passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.The legislation passed by both Houses included the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was introduced amid the NEET-UG controversy and was discussed for more than 17 hours across the two Houses.Parliament also passed the Prevention of Insults to Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment)