Parliament’s Monsoon Session: Protests, Barricades, and Landmark Sports Reforms
The 17th day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, held on August 12, 2025, was a mix of high-stakes politics, street drama, and significant legislative developments. Both Houses opened to loud protests led by the opposition INDIA bloc, which has taken strong exception to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Electoral Roll Dispute Sparks Street Protests
The opposition alleges that the SIR exercise risks excluding marginalized and minority voters from Bihar’s electoral list—a move they describe as an orchestrated “vote theft.” Their frustration moved beyond Parliament’s walls as prominent leaders—Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, and Sanjay Raut—marched toward the Election Commission to demand intervention.
In a moment that drew nationwide attention, Akhilesh Yadav leaped over police barricades, prompting a brief scuffle. Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders were detained by the police, though they were released shortly after.
Government Pushes Through Legislative Business
While protests raged, the Lok Sabha pressed forward with its legislative agenda. By voice vote, it passed:
- National Sports Governance Bill, 2025
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025
- A third pending bill
In the Rajya Sabha, the day saw the passage of the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill—described by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya as the most transformative overhaul in Indian sports administration since independence.
Sports Reform at the Forefront
The new sports governance framework seeks to:
- Enforce transparency in sports bodies
- Ensure fair play across disciplines
- Strengthen anti-doping measures
- Standardize administrative accountability
The government hailed the reforms as a long-overdue cleanup that will better protect athletes’ rights and restore credibility to sports institutions.
Session Adjourned Amid Ongoing Standoff
Despite legislative progress, the opposition refused to relent on its demand for a structured debate on Bihar’s draft electoral rolls. Repeated disruptions forced adjournment of both Houses until August 18, leaving the political standoff unresolved and Bihar’s voter roll controversy firmly in the spotlight ahead of the state elections.