Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Friday following persistent protests by opposition members over multiple issues, including the alleged police action against students protesting over the NEET examination issue. The uproar disrupted proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, forcing repeated adjournments and bringing legislative business to an early close.
Despite the disruptions, the Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 amid noisy scenes without any discussion. When the House reassembled at noon after its first adjournment, the presiding officer, Dilip Saikia, took up the Bill for consideration and passage. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai moved the legislation as opposition members continued sloganeering. The Bill was passed by voice vote amid the commotion.
Following the passage of the Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition for refusing to participate in the debate. He said the legislation was an important reform and the government had wanted all parties to contribute to the discussion. Rijiju pointed out that adequate time had already been allocated for deliberations by the Business Advisory Committee and said he had repeatedly appealed to opposition parties, including the Congress, to ensure meaningful debate. With the protests continuing, the House was adjourned for the day and is scheduled to reconvene on August 3 at 11 a.m.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 by introducing stricter provisions for delayed registration of births and deaths while encouraging timely reporting of such events. Under the proposed law, if a birth or death is reported more than one year but within two years after the event, registration will require approval from the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate after verification of the authenticity of the claim.
For cases where the delay exceeds two years, registration will only be permitted on the orders of a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. The legislation also makes it mandatory for the designated authority to verify the authenticity of the reported birth or death before granting approval. The government has maintained that timely registration is essential as birth and death certificates provide individuals with legal identity and facilitate access to various public services and welfare schemes.
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha witnessed disruptions immediately after it assembled at 11 a.m. Speaker Om Birla attempted to take up the Question Hour, but opposition members entered the Well of the House, raising slogans over the alleged police action during the students' protest on the NEET issue. They demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Appealing for order, Birla urged opposition members not to disrupt Question Hour, describing it as one of the most important opportunities for Members of Parliament to seek accountability from the government. He also expressed concern over the repeated disruptions and reminded members that bringing placards and banners into the House was against parliamentary traditions and decorum. As the protests continued unabated, the Speaker adjourned the House until noon.
The Rajya Sabha also witnessed similar scenes and was adjourned for the day. At the start of proceedings, several Union Ministers laid official papers on the Table of the House, while the report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj was presented.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan also made a statement on the implementation status of recommendations contained in the 22nd report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology regarding mechanisms to curb fake news.
During Zero Hour, several members raised issues of public importance, but opposition members soon began protesting and raising slogans over their demands. Responding to the disruptions, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Opposition of disrupting Parliament on every issue and avoiding meaningful discussions. He said such conduct undermined the dignity of the House and made a mockery of democratic institutions, adding that the people of the country were closely observing the behaviour of their elected representatives.
As the pandemonium continued, Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the Upper House for the day. Both Houses will now reconvene on Monday, August 3, with the political standoff over the NEET-related protests expected to remain a major point of contention.
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