Monsoon Session Begins Amid Demands for Clarity on Operation Sindoor and Electoral Roll Controversy

New Delhi : The Monsoon Session of Parliament commenced on Monday, marking the first legislative sitting since India’s precision airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, which followed the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Spanning from July 21 to August 21, the session will consist of 21 sittings over 32 days. Both Houses will take a break from August 12 to 17 for Independence Day celebrations and reconvene on August 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the House before formal proceedings begin. The Opposition, meanwhile, has raised pressing demands for accountability and answers—chief among them being a statement from the Prime Minister regarding Operation Sindoor and India’s evolving stance on cross-border terrorism.

Opposition leaders have also sought clarity over U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions of mediating peace between India and Pakistan, demanding a formal response from the government.

Another major flashpoint expected during the session is the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Opposition parties allege that the exercise lacks transparency and could be used to influence the forthcoming state elections. The government, however, has dismissed these concerns as politically motivated.

Despite the tension, the government is moving forward with a robust legislative agenda. Key bills to be introduced include reforms related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), amendments to taxation laws, public trust regulation, sports governance, port and mineral development, and the preservation of geo-heritage sites.

A parliamentary panel report on the new Income Tax Bill, 2025, is also expected to be tabled in the Lok Sabha during this session. Furthermore, a significant proposal concerning the removal of a judge is slated for debate, adding to the session’s weighty docket.

Speaking after an all-party meeting on Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “We are open to discussions on important national matters like Operation Sindoor. The government respects rules and conventions and is not shying away from debate.”

The session is expected to be contentious, with crucial national and legislative matters at the heart of parliamentary discourse.