Lok Sabha Adjourned as Rijiju Urges Opposition to Allow Bill Discussions

On Friday, Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, made a heartfelt appeal to the Opposition parties, urging them to refrain from disrupting the proceedings in Parliament. He emphasized the importance of allowing space for discussions while ensuring that the legislative process continues smoothly. However, shortly after his remarks, the Lok Sabha was adjourned by Speaker Om Birla until noon due to ongoing protests from the Opposition. Rijiju stated, "Several other important bills are also listed for discussion today. I appeal to the Opposition parties to raise whatever issues they wish to raise, but they should not disrupt the passage of bills, Question Hour, or other important parliamentary business. That would be in everyone's interest." He expressed hope that cooperation would prevail, especially since the agenda for the day primarily included Private Members' Bills, which are crucial for the functioning of Parliament.

Rijiju further commented on the recently passed anti-paper leak bill, highlighting that it received overwhelming support from the majority of Members of Parliament. He noted, "There was no real opposition to the bill... those who did oppose it did so for political reasons. Everyone is serious about education, and there is broad concern over the issue of exam paper leaks." The Minister reiterated the government's commitment to swiftly implement the legislation, which aims to tackle the growing issue of exam paper leaks. The Parliament had previously approved The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which imposes stricter penalties, including a maximum of ten years in prison and fines reaching Rs 50 lakh for those involved in such malpractices.