With repeated disruptions stalling proceedings, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened and adjourned the House, urging both sides to resolve their differences.
He gave the government and Opposition a three-hour window to negotiate so that discussion on the Bill could begin at 5 pm.
The Opposition, in turn, sensed that insisting on a boycott could allow the government to push the Bill through without any debate.
Senior Congress leaders subsequently met the Speaker and informed him that the Opposition was ready to participate in the discussion on Tuesday.
We have decided to join the debate while raising the issue of police brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere," a senior Opposition leader said.
NEW DELHI: The week-long stalemate in the Lok Sabha seems to be headed for a breakthrough, with the Opposition agreeing to participate in the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026, on Tuesday, after a day of hard bargaining between the government and Opposition.
The Bill, introduced by Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh on Monday amid loud protests and sloganeering, initially failed to break the impasse as Opposition parties continued to demand a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the police action against student protestors at Jantar Mantar and other parts of the country.
The legislation proposes stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and Rs 50 lakh fine for the guilty.
With repeated disruptions stalling proceedings, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened and adjourned the House, urging both sides to resolve their differences. He gave the government and Opposition a three-hour window to negotiate so that discussion on the Bill could begin at 5 pm.
According to sources, during the back channel talks, the government conveyed that it was prepared for a six -hour discussion if the Opposition cooperated. The Opposition, in turn, sensed that insisting on a boycott could allow the government to push the Bill through without any debate.
Senior Congress leaders subsequently met the Speaker and informed him that the Opposition was ready to participate in the discussion on Tuesday.
"We did not want to be seen as opposing reforms. We are conscious that the youth of the country is watching. We have decided to join the debate while raising the issue of police brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere," a senior Opposition leader said. As the House reassembled at 5 pm, opposition members continued sloganeering amid calls by the chair to discuss the Bill as the matter pertained to the future of crores of youth.
