By G. Krishna Mohan Rao*
Parliament Preps for Battle Over Economy, Security in Monsoon Session
New Delhi: As the month-long Monsoon Session of the Indian Parliament commences on Monday, July 21, 2025, both the Government and the Opposition are fully prepared to engage in robust debate and discussion to address critical issues of public concern, to make the session productive. The Narendra Modi-led government intends to seek Parliament’s approval for the pending Income Tax Bill, 2025, and introduce eight new pieces of legislation to advance its policy agenda.
According to the internal bulletin of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, a total of twelve bills are slated for consideration during the legislative business of the Monsoon Session. Conversely, the Congress party’s Parliament strategy group has resolved to launch a vigorous offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, focusing on contentious issues such as the Bihar electoral roll revision, the Pahalgam terror attack, and Operation Sindoor, among other matters. This decision was finalised during a meeting convened at the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Prominent party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, P. Chidambaram, Tariq Anwar, K. C. Venugopal, Kumari Selja, Manish Tewari, and Jairam Ramesh, were among those who attended the strategic meeting. Amid recent questions regarding the future cohesion of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, the Congress leadership resolved to foster “enhanced coordination” with its Opposition partners both within and outside Parliament. The party plans to engage with allied parties to deliberate on the issues to be raised in the House. Sources indicate that a meeting of opposition parties has been scheduled for either July 19 or July 20 to formulate a unified floor strategy. Fresh communications are being established with the floor leaders of the Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Left parties, according to informed sources.
The Congress party’s foremost priority in Parliament will be to demand accountability from the government regarding the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and the specifics of Operation Sindoor. Pertinent questions include why the perpetrators of the attack remain at large and who bears responsibility for this failure. The Rahul Gandhi-led Opposition will also press the government for clarification on United States President Donald Trump’s assertions of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
The Opposition is poised to demand accountability for what it describes as “lapses and losses” during Operation Sindoor. Additional major concerns include the imposition of United States tariffs on India and broader anxieties surrounding the state of the Indian economy, inflation, and unemployment. According to party sources, the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar is expected to dominate parliamentary discussions. The Congress and its allies have initiated legal action against this exercise, labelling it “unconstitutional” and alleging that it risks disenfranchising nearly two crore voters in the state.
The Congress-led Opposition is also anticipated to advocate for the appointment of the Deputy Speaker’s post in the Lok Sabha, with eight-time Member of Parliament from Kerala, Kodikunnil Suresh, being considered a frontrunner for the position.
The issue of the impeachment of Justice Shekar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, stemming from alleged communal remarks, was also discussed during the strategy meeting, with the Congress resolving to press for this demand. A notice for his removal motion is currently pending before the Rajya Sabha Chairman. Concurrently, the government is expected to propose a motion for the removal of another Allahabad High Court judge, Yashwant Varma, who was indicted by a three-judge inquiry panel following the discovery of partially burnt cash at his official residence earlier this year, when he was serving in the Delhi High Court. The Congress has indicated its support for the motion to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma. Meanwhile, the government’s legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session encompasses a total of twelve bills, including some already introduced and others under review by parliamentary panels. The government will seek the approval of both houses of Parliament for the extension of President’s Rule in Manipur, imposed through a proclamation issued by the President on February 13, 2025. The Income Tax Bill, 2025, which was tabled during the Budget Session, represents a significant step toward simplifying the language and structure of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The bill is currently under review by a joint parliamentary committee, which plans to adopt its report this week. Once the review is complete, the government intends to bring the bill for passage during the Monsoon Session. Originally scheduled to conclude on August 12, the session has been extended until August 21.
Among the new legislative proposals, the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, aims to foster the development and promotion of sports, implement welfare measures for sportspersons, and establish ethical practices in sports through robust governance frameworks. The bill seeks to create institutional capacity and prudential standards for the governance of sports federations, grounded in universal principles of good governance, ethics, and fair play as embodied in the Olympic and sports movement. This legislative initiative follows several controversies and financial irregularities in the management of sports bodies. Another significant bill, the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2025, will be prioritised, according to the Lok Sabha bulletin. This bill aims to provide for the declaration, preservation, protection, and maintenance of geoheritage sites and geo-relics of national importance for geological studies, education, research, raising awareness, and promoting tourism, as well as addressing related matters. The government also plans to introduce amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, and the National Anti-Doping Act to align with international best practices.
