Rajya Sabha adjourned over police action on Delhi students amid paper leak row
Synopsis
The Rajya Sabha was forced to adjourn on 27 July 2026 after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the House address alleged police brutality against Delhi students protesting paper leaks — and Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan refused, triggering a walkout-level uproar. The confrontation underscores how the paper leak crisis has moved from the streets to the floor of Parliament.
Key Takeaways
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on 27 July 2026 amid an uproar over alleged police action on student protesters in Delhi .
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge sought to raise the issue; Chairman C.P.
Radhakrishnan declined, citing prior discussion.
Kharge invoked the 'rarest of the rare' standard cited by the Deputy Chairman; the Chair said House consensus was needed to define it.
The Business Advisory Committee allocated seven hours for the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill was circulated to MPs on 25 July 2026 ; it directly addresses exam malpractice — the trigger for the student protests.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday, 27 July 2026, after a sharp uproar erupted over the alleged police crackdown on students protesting against paper leaks in Delhi. The disruption came early in the session, before substantive business could begin, and reflects the deepening standoff between the Treasury benches and the Opposition during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
How the Confrontation Unfolded
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge sought to raise the issue of police action against the student demonstrators, but Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan repeatedly noted the matter had already been placed before the House. He invoked a historical precedent, recalling that even during the UPA government under Dr Manmohan Singh, when Krishan Kant held the Chair, similar interventions had been made.
Kharge pushed back, citing a recent statement by the Deputy Chairman that matters could be taken up when the occasion was the 'rarest of the rare.' The Chairman countered that the entire House would need to reach consensus on what qualified as such an occasion.
Kharge then asked what could be rarer than students being 'brutally beaten up.' The remark set off a loud uproar across the chamber, leaving the Chairman with no option but to adjourn proceedings till noon.
Routine Business Before the Storm
Before the disruption, members Satish Chandra Dubey, Sanjay Seth, and Tokhan Sahu laid papers on the table of the House. Rwngwra Narzary, the member from Assam, tabled parliamentary standing committee reports on the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi and Minister of Mines Satish Chandra Dubey also made departmental statements before the session descended into disorder.
Public Examinations Bill Allocated Seven Hours
The Chairman informed the House that the Business Advisory Committee, in its meeting on Monday, had allocated seven hours for the consideration and passage of The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, scheduled for introduction in the Lok Sabha. A copy of the Bill was circulated among members of Parliament on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Broader Context
The adjournment is not an isolated incident. Opposition parties have repeatedly disrupted Upper House proceedings during the Monsoon Session over what they allege is heavy-handed police treatment of students who took to the streets against paper leak irregularities in Delhi. This is the latest in a series of interruptions that have stalled legislative business. With the Public Examinations Bill directly addressing exam malpractice — the very grievance that sparked the student protests — the political stakes around its passage are considerable.
Point of View
The core question of whether Delhi Police used disproportionate force remains unaddressed on the floor, which is precisely where the Opposition wants it aired.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Rajya Sabha adjourned on 27 July 2026?
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on 27 July 2026 after Opposition members, led by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, demanded a discussion on alleged police action against students protesting paper leaks in Delhi. The uproar that followed the Chairman's refusal to take up the matter forced the adjournment.
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say in the Rajya Sabha?
Kharge insisted that the alleged police crackdown on student protesters constituted a 'rarest of the rare' incident warranting immediate discussion. He asked what could be rarer than students being 'brutally beaten up,' a remark that triggered the uproar leading to the adjournment.
What is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026?
It is a legislative amendment aimed at preventing malpractice in public examinations, directly connected to the paper leak controversy that sparked the student protests. The Business Advisory Committee has allocated seven hours for its consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha; a copy was circulated to MPs on 25 July 2026.
Who is C.P. Radhakrishnan and what was his position?
C.P. Radhakrishnan is the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He declined to allow fresh discussion on the police action against students, noting the matter had already been raised in the House, and stated that the full House would need to agree on what qualifies as a 'rarest of the rare' occasion.
How does this disruption fit into the broader Monsoon Session?
The 27 July adjournment is the latest in a series of interruptions during the 2026 Monsoon Session, with the Opposition repeatedly raising the alleged police handling of Delhi's student protesters. The repeated disruptions have stalled legislative business in the Upper House on multiple occasions.
