Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were continuously disrupted on the first day of the Monsoon Session, with the Houses being adjourned multiple times in the day due to sloganeering by Opposition parties over the NEET paper 'leak' and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
In Lok Sabha, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced a Bill to replace an ordinance that increased the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. However, it failed to get a positive response amid Opposition protests.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the House could not function if the disruptions continue in this manner.
Rajya Sabha witnessed multiple adjournments as the Opposition parties protested against police action against protesting students in Delhi over the NEET paper leak issue.
The House was adjourned for the day without transacting any business as Congress-led Opposition parties demanded action against the guilty in the paper leak row that affected the well-being of several youngsters. Deputy Chairman Harivansh highlighted that no work has happened in the House since morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Parliament on Monday ahead of the beginning of the Monsoon Session.
Addressing the media, he said the Parliament session should be productive.
"The benefits of the monsoon are visible, and the Monsoon Session is also commencing. Both the monsoon and the Monsoon Session are very productive; when both are productive, it leads to the welfare of the nation and the welfare of all living beings. Therefore, we pray that both the monsoon and the Monsoon Session remain productive," he said.
Addressing the media, PM Narendra Modi said, "In just one month, the nation has achieved numerous milestones, a series of accomplishments that fill every citizen with pride. Be it on the national stage, the international arena, or now, even in space, these have truly been moments of pride for India".
He hailed the successful launch of Vikram-1 and said it shows what the youth of India can do. India achieved a major milestone in its space journey on July 18, with the launch of the country's first private orbital-class rocket.
Modi also highlighted that India is one of the first countries to have a green hydrogen train. On July 17, Modi flagged off India's first hydrogen-powered train connecting Jind and Sonepat from the Jind railway station, marking a major milestone in the country's push towards clean and sustainable rail transport.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the West Asia conflict created major difficulties for India, which is dependent on import of energy.
He added that Despite the crisis due to the West Asia conflict, Indian economy registered a growth of 7.7 per cent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a veiled swipe at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi while lauding India's growing space capabilities, saying he was referring to "28-year-old youngsters" behind the success of startup Skyroot Aerospace and "not any 56-year-old 'youngster'."
The Prime Minister highlighted India's recent achievements in the space sector and praised the country's young innovators. "Just before last year's Monsoon Session, an Indian citizen reached the International Space Station, and the day before yesterday, India's young startup achieved a very big milestone. There are very few countries in the world where such private ventures have taken place, and India's youth have taken a new flight into space. It is a very big success," Modi said.
Referring to the team behind Skyroot Aerospace, he added, "The young people working in this 'Skyroot' startup--I have been told the average age of their entire team is only 28 years. Such youngsters have accomplished this work; I am not talking about any 56-year-old 'youngster,' I am talking about these startups in the country with an average age of 28 that have planted India's flag in space."
The monsoon session has commenced formally, with proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha proceedings began with obituary references while new members took the oath in the Rajya Sabha.
Speaker Om Birla adjourned the Lok Sabha session till 12 noon amid sloganeering by the Opposition.
Opposition members raised slogans in the House after the Speaker denied their demand for a discussion on various issues.
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan adjourned the Rajya Sabha till 12 noon shortly after repeated sloganeering by the Opposition.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of the alleged NEET paper leak and ongoing student protests.
After the House assembled, Kharge sought to raise the issue, saying it concerned the future of lakhs of students and referring to the ongoing protests by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
"You have allowed me to present my views regarding this paper leak and the NEET examination scandal. This is a matter concerning students; I am speaking about the futures of lakhs of children. Thousands of students have gathered at Jantar Mantar for this cause. A lathi-charge has taken place there. The government is trying to use force, suppress voices, and drive them away," he said in the House.
The opposition INDIA bloc on Monday vowed to demand accountability from the government over issues such as the Ram temple donation "theft" and the "systematic collapse" of the education system, asserting that the battle for people's rights would be fought with full strength.
INDIA bloc floor leaders met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge before the start of Parliament's Monsoon session and deliberated on the opposition's strategy.
Besides Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav, NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule, TMC's Saugata Roy and Sagarika Ghose, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, JMM's Mahua Maji, CPI(M)'s John Brittas and P Santhosh Kumar, among others, attended the meeting.
In a post on X after the meeting, Kharge said that starting today, in the Monsoon session of Parliament, the Congress party and the INDIA bloc will raise the voice of the people and demand answers from the Modi government on every issue.
आज से शुरू हो रहे संसद के मानसून सत्र में कांग्रेस पार्टी और साझा विपक्ष जनता की आवाज़ बनकर मोदी सरकार से हर सवाल का जवाब माँगेगी।
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 20, 2026
चाहे श्री राम मंदिर में चंदा चोरी और आस्था से धोखे की बात हो - मंदिर निर्माण के लिए करोड़ों श्रद्धालुओं ने आस्था के साथ अपनी कमाई अर्पित की, उन्हें… pic.twitter.com/vweX1NboC5
The Lok Sabha is adjourned till 12.30 pm, right after it resumed proceedings at 12 pm. Opposition raised slogans against alleged paper leaks in both houses of Parliament.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday introduced the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha amid continued Opposition sloganeering during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Meghwal moved for leave to introduce the Bill, which seeks to further amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. The proposed legislation seeks to replace the ordinance promulgated by the Centre to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37.
The Bill was introduced even as Opposition members continued raising slogans in the House over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case.
As the monsoon session of the Parliament began on Monday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address made right before the house proceedings, calling it a "litany of platitudes", asserting that the PM ignored the pertinent issues impacting the nation, such as NEET exam irregularities, Ram Mandir donation row among many others.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh also said the Modi Government is attempting to subvert democracy and the federal set-up of the Constitution through a compromised delimitation process.
"The PM started off the Monsoon Session of Parliament with his usual litany of platitudes. What the PM failed to mention are the following issues, which the Opposition is committed to raising -- The massive Chanda Chori Aastha Dhoka at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya executed by members of the RSS-BJP ecosystem that has shocked the nation's conscience; The NEET UG 2026 paper leak and the CBSE Grade 12 Board Examinations fiasco which has enraged the yuva shakti that the PM paid lip service to," he said.
The PM started off the Monsoon Session of Parliament with his usual litany of platitudes.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 20, 2026
What the PM failed to mention are the following issues, which the Opposition is committed to raising -
i. The massive Chanda Chori Aastha Dhoka at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya executed by…
Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders on Monday staged a protest in Parliament premises on the first day of the Monsoon Session, raising slogans and demanding a discussion on the alleged NEET paper leak issue.
While supporting the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), SP leaders, including Dimple Yadav, Krishna Devi, Shivshankar Patel and Iqra Choudhary, Zia Ur Rahman and others, were seen holding a banner reading "Paper Leak" and raising slogans of "NEET hai ya CHEAT hai" while protesting over the alleged irregularities in the examination.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP-led government of ignoring students' concerns and alleged that repeated paper leaks had taken place in Uttar Pradesh.
#WATCH | Delhi: Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, along with party MPs, marches from Parliament to Jantar Mantar
— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2026
She says, "The situation across the country is such that the youth want to voice their concerns, yet the government refuses to listen or engage in dialogue. Students… pic.twitter.com/iQUSMOXDOj
MP Dilip Saikia, who was presiding the Lok Sabha, adjourned the House till 1 pm over Opposition uproar against multiple issues.
Saikia urged the members to maintain the decorum of the house and let the proceedings resume. "This behaviour is not good for the democracy," he said and asked if the Opposition wants to allow the House to function or not.
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan adjourned the Rajya Sabha to meet again at 2 pm.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Monday described the party's rebel MPs as "traitors" after they formed a separate parliamentary group under the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI), alleging that they had abandoned the party and symbol on which they were elected.
Reacting to Sudip Bandyopadhyay being named the floor leader of the NCPI in the Lok Sabha and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the party's Chief Whip, Roy told ANI, "What can I say about it? They will make their own committee. They are traitors and deserted the party and symbol which made them win. They won against the BJP, and now they are joining the BJP-NDA."
His remarks came amid a major political churn in West Bengal after 20 rebel TMC Lok Sabha MPs merged with the NCPI and extended support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The rebel MPs have also sought formal recognition as a separate parliamentary group in the Lok Sabha.
#WATCH | Monsoon session of Parliament | Delhi: On Sudip Bandyopadhyay to be floor leader, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Chief Whip of their party, TMC MP Saugata Roy says, "What can I say about it? They will make their own committee. They are traitors and deserted the party and symbol… pic.twitter.com/LRJ6ixUWLy
— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2026
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings are adjourned till 2.30 pm. This is the fifth adjournment on the day.
Visuals from the Parliament have security forces taking firing positions. Please don’t shoot at our country’s youth. They’re not making any unreasonable demands. They just want accountability for students dying because of govt incompetence!
— Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) July 20, 2026
How can this be the response? pic.twitter.com/yRCNE09P9d
Opposing the Delimitation proposal, Chidambaram said that while an increase in the number of seats across the States in the country may appear proportionate on paper, the absolute numbers would widen the gap between northern and southern states in Parliament.
He also pointed out that increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha would reduce the effectiveness of parliamentary debates.
