Parliament Monsoon Session Ends With 12 Bills Passed, Low Productivity

Parliament's Monsoon Session concluded on August 13, 2026, with a record of 12 bills passed but severely limited debate, as repeated disruptions and political standoffs reduced legislative productivity to historic lows. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reported that the Lok Sabha functioned for only 19% of its scheduled time, while the Rajya Sabha recorded 39% productivity, marking one of the least productive sessions in recent memory.

The session, which began on July 20, was dominated by protests over the NEET paper leak controversy and police action against students demonstrating at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on the same date. Opposition parties demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah answer questions about the crackdown, which reportedly involved the use of pellet guns. The government maintained it was ready for a discussion but accused the Opposition of refusing to engage unless proceedings descended into slogans and disruptions.

Rijiju, addressing a press conference, drew a distinction between legislative output and the quality of parliamentary debate. "In terms of business, it was a very successful session. We passed a total of 12 bills. However, from the...