Lok Sabha Passes Two More Bills Without Debate Amid Opposition Protests

New Delhi, Aug 11: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed two more Bills, including one about renaming Kerala as Keralam, without debate as members raised slogans and carried placards to the Well demanding the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.

The House reassembled at 2 pm amid uproar, with Opposition members also raising slogans over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti allowed laying of papers on the table amid the din.

Subsequently, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 that seeks to change the state’s name to Keralam was taken up for consideration and passage.

The Bill, moved by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, was passed by voice vote without any debate amid sloganeering.

“It seems the Congress MPs are not in favour of the renaming,” Rai took a swipe at the principal Opposition party which governs Kerala while moving the legislation.

Soon after, Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol moved the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was also passed without debate amid the continued ruckus.

Of the 11 Bills cleared by the Lok Sabha so far, only two have seen a debate, while the remaining legislation has been passed without discussion amid Opposition protests.

Earlier, Speaker Om Birla expressed anguish over the repeated disruption when the proceedings began at 11 am, only to be adjourned within minutes. He appealed to the government and the opposition to arrive at a common ground so that the House can debate on key Bills that bring “far-reaching changes in the country”.

The Opposition has been protesting for more than three weeks, demanding Shah’s presence in the House over student protests and police action.

The government’s offer on Monday for a debate and Shah’s reply failed to end the stalemate, with the Congress insisting that the Home Minister’s response should specifically address who ordered the firing of pellets against student protesters on July 20.

The Congress has also announced that the demand for a discussion on the alleged theft of funds at the Ram temple in Ayodhya was “non negotiable”.

With the Monsoon Session scheduled to conclude on Thursday, uncertainty also remains over the fate of the women’s reservation amendment bill, which could not be passed in the previous session, and the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Amendment Bill. (Agencies)