Rajya Sabha adjourned six times over paper leak

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned six times on Monday (July 20, 2026), with the Opposition demanding action against those guilty in the NEET examination question paper leak case.

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The day’s proceedings began with Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan administering oath to nine newly elected members including three who recently switched from the Trinamool Congress to the BJP — Prakash Chik Baraik, Sushmita Dev, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray. The Opposition shouted slogans when the three members took oath.

Congress members heckled BJP leader Mahesh Kewat, the newly elected member from Madhya Pradesh, where the candidature of Congress’s Meenakshi Natrajan was disqualified. They shouted “seat chori” as Mr. Kewat was about to take oath.

BJP member Satish Poonia from Rajasthan, Congress member Pawan Khera from Karnataka, Mukeshbhai J. Rathwa (BJP-Gujarat), James Sangma (National People’s Party-Meghalaya), and Khiangte Laltluangkima (Zoram People’s Movement -Mizoram) were the others who took oath.

After the oath-taking and customary laying of papers, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge flagged the recent paper leak, drawing the government’s attention to the police action at Jantar Mantar. “Thousands of students have reached Jantar Mantar (where the protest is on), and they were lathi-charged,” he said. “The government is trying to beat them down and suppress the issue,” Mr. Kharge said, as Opposition members shouted “shame, shame”.

Amid the uproar, the Chairman adjourned the House till noon. The proceedings were adjourned for the second time till 12.30 p.m. The House was adjourned further till 12.50 p.m. and then again till 2 p.m. When the House met at 12.50 p.m., the crowd at Rail Bhawan, just a few metres away from Parliament gate, had started growing. When the Opposition raised the issue amid sloganeering, Mr. Radhakrishnan adjourned the House till 2 p.m.

When the House reassembled, Deputy Chairman Harivansh informed the members about the decision of the Business Advisory Committee, which, in its meeting held on Monday, allotted time for the government’s legislative businesses.

As the Opposition members continued to raise slogans, Mr. Harivansh urged them to maintain decorum. When the members refused to relent, he adjourned the House for half-an-hour till 2.30 p.m. When the House convened again, the Deputy Chairman tried to pacify the Opposition members and urged them to go back to their seats and allow the House to run. But the Opposition ignored his appeal and Mr. Harivansh adjourned the House for the day.