NEW DELHI, AUGUST 11: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed two more Bills without debate amid continued protests and sloganeering by Opposition MPs, who demanded the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.
The proceedings resumed at around 2 pm amid a noisy atmosphere, with Opposition members raising slogans and displaying placards in the Well of the House. The protesting MPs also raised the issue of alleged irregularities in donations collected for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Amid the uproar, presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti allowed the laying of papers on the table before taking up the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
The Bill, introduced by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, seeks to change the official name of the state from Kerala to Keralam. The legislation was passed by voice vote without discussion, as Opposition protests continued.
While moving the Bill, Rai took a dig at the Congress, suggesting that the party’s MPs appeared to be opposed to the proposed change in the state’s official name. The Congress is the principal Opposition party at the Centre and is in power in Kerala.
The House subsequently took up the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, moved by Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. The legislation was also passed without debate amid continued Opposition protests.
With the passage of these two Bills, 11 legislations have now been cleared by the Lok Sabha during the session. However, only two Bills have so far been debated, while the remaining legislations have been passed amid disruptions and protests by Opposition members.
Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed concern over the repeated disruptions and urged both the Government and Opposition to find common ground to ensure that Parliament functions smoothly and allows detailed deliberations on Bills involving major policy and legislative changes.
The Opposition has been protesting for more than three weeks, demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement in Parliament over student protests and alleged police action.
The Government has offered to facilitate a discussion on the issue, followed by a response from the Home Minister. However, the proposal has failed to end the deadlock, with the Congress insisting that Amit Shah clarify who authorised the alleged use of pellet guns against student protesters on July 20.
The Opposition has also continued to press its demand for a discussion on the alleged misappropriation or theft of funds linked to Ram Temple donations in Ayodhya, describing the issue as a “non-negotiable” demand.
With the Monsoon Session scheduled to conclude on Thursday, uncertainty remains over the fate of several key legislative measures, including the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill and the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Amendment Bill.(KNC)
