The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 in the absence of Opposition members, who had staged a walkout earlier demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The House had been adjourned till 2 p.m. after uproar over Deputy Chairman Harivansh’s refusal to admit notices under Rule 267.
In the Lok Sabha, members held a special discussion on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission to the International Space Station. The government listed the debate as part of its Monsoon Session agenda, framing it around the role of India’s space programme in building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Meanwhile, INDIA bloc floor leaders said they were considering moving an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Bihar electoral rolls controversy.
A special session of the Lok Sabha will commence at 2 pm today, with a key focus on the space sector. The discussion will include the recent mission led by Shubhanshu Shukla, and will be initiated by Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
Additionally, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 is scheduled to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The bill will be presented by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
Meanwhile, both Houses have witnessed repeated disruptions during the ongoing Monsoon Session, as the Opposition continues to press for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Monday following vociferous protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the voter roll revision in Bihar and other issues.
When the House met at 11 am, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and showing placards with their demand for discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Monday till 2 pm following protests by Opposition members over the rejection of their 19 adjournment notices on various issues.
The Opposition INDIA bloc is mulling moving an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar after he asked Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to either file an affidavit substantiating his vote theft allegations against the poll body or apologise before the country.
The proposal for an impeachment motion was discussed at the INDIA bloc meeting held in this morning.
Several opposition MPs of INDIA bloc parties held a protest in the Parliament House complex on Monday against the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar.
Led by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the MPs of INDIA bloc raised "vote chor, gaddi chhor" and "vote chori band karo" slogans.
They also held a big banner that read "vote chori" and held posters demanding "stop SIR".
The Chairperson announced that none of the notices under Rule 267 seeking discussion on various topics after suspending the business of the House are admitted. Protests continue as the House resumes proceedings.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the House to Indian Air Force test pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who created history as the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom Mission-4.
#WATCH | Lok Sabha takes up special discussion on India's First Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station – Critical Role of Space programme for ‘Viksit Bharat By 2047’.
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2025
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, "The role of the Department of Space and space technology… pic.twitter.com/6AYB5qsfvp
Opposition members continued their vociferous protests in the Lok Sabha even as the House took up a discussion on astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s historic mission to the International Space Station.
Minister of State for the Department of Space Dr Jitendra Singh detailed India’s human spaceflight efforts and the training regimen undertaken ahead of Shukla’s participation in the Axiom-4 mission. He also highlighted three indigenous experiments carried out during the mission, noting that their findings would be valuable for life-cycle studies in space and have applications on Earth as well.
The Opposition, however, did not relent in their protests through the minister’s speech.
Persistent Opposition protests on Monday forced the Lok Sabha to adjourn for the day, disrupting a discussion on India’s space achievements.
In his appeal for order, Chair Dilip Saikia urged members to contribute constructively, at least on issues concerning the space sector and development. “The nation is watching the actions of members in Parliament,” he reminded, calling for peace in the House.
As the protests continued and members refused to return to their seats, the proceedings were adjourned for the day.
An Indian astronaut will herald 'Viksit Bharat' by landing on the moon in 2040, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Monday as the Lok Sabha took up the discussion on astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s space sojourn.
Initiating a discussion on 'India's first astronaut aboard the International Space Station -- Critical role of the space programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047', Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook space sector reforms after assuming office in 2014.
Singh, the Minister of State in the PMO, said after opening up the space sector for private players in 2020, India’s space economy has already reached USD eight billion and would touch USD 45 billion in the next decade.
He said India will undertake an uncrewed space mission involving a robot 'Vyommitra' in 2026, followed by its maiden human spaceflight – Gaganyaan – in 2027.
"India will set up its own Bharat Antariksh Station in 2035 and in 2040, an Indian astronaut will set foot on the moon," Singh said.
"Modi ji's dream of Viksit Bharat in 2047 will be heralded a few years in advance from the moon. An Indian on moon will announce the heralding of Viksit Bharat," Singh said.
The discussion remained inconclusive as the House was adjourned due to vociferous protests by the opposition.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 — aimed at decriminalising minor offences to promote ease of living and business — was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday and referred to a Select Committee, which will report by the first day of the next session.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the legislation seeks to promote trust-based governance. Introduced amid Opposition protests over voter roll issues, the Bill proposes 355 amendments — 288 for ease of doing business and 67 for ease of living.
Key provisions include replacing imprisonment clauses for minor, technical defaults with monetary penalties or warnings, proportional fines, graduated penalties for repeat offences, and empowering officers to impose penalties administratively.
The Bill also proposes 67 amendments to the NDMC Act and Motor Vehicles Act. Under NDMC law, property tax will shift from the rateable value system to the Unit Area Method for greater transparency. In the Motor Vehicles Act, reforms include state-wide vehicle registration, 30-day grace for licence renewal, and extended timelines for filing compensation claims.
The Bill builds on the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 central Acts.
A bill to consolidate laws relating to ports, promote integrated port development, and ensure optimum use of India’s coastline was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Monday amid Opposition protests.
The Indian Ports Bill, 2025—passed by the Lok Sabha on August 12—was moved by Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after the House reassembled at 2 pm.
While the Business Advisory Committee had allotted time for discussion on other bills, Opposition members led by Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a debate on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, raising slogans before staging a walkout.
Sonowal said the bill seeks to empower State Maritime Boards, set up a Maritime State Development Council, and streamline port management, including safety, security, pollution control, and dispute redressal. It also aims to align India’s port sector with international commitments.
Opposition MPs on Monday staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha demanding discussion on electoral rolls revision in Bihar.
As the House reassembled at 2 pm, BJD's Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, informed the legislators that the Business Advisory Committee had decided to allot three hours for discussion on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025.
He also said that the committee has approved one hour for consideration and passing of the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill 2025, after it is approved by the Lok Sabha.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge stood up and demanded discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
He was joined by other Opposition members demanding a discussion on the issue.
However, the Chair declined to take up the matter, which led to noisy protests by the Opposition members.
They raised slogans demanding discussion and staged a walkout in the House.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 through a voice vote on Monday, with Opposition members absent after staging a walkout earlier.
