Lok Sabha Speaker Birla calls Business Advisory Committee meet ahead of Monsoon Session
Synopsis
Parliament's Monsoon Session opens 20 July with a packed agenda — women's reservation, One Nation One Election, and a bill that could automatically remove sitting ministers and the PM from office if jailed for 30 days. But before a single bill is tabled, the INDIA bloc has already walked out of the all-party meeting, and Speaker Birla faces consequential rulings on rebel MP mergers that could redraw the opposition's numbers.
Key Takeaways
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has called a Business Advisory Committee meeting at 5 pm on 19 July to set the legislative agenda.
Parliament's Monsoon Session runs from 20 July to 13 August , with 19 sittings scheduled.
INDIA bloc MPs walked out of the all-party meeting, protesting the presence of NCPI members — a rebel TMC faction.
Speaker Birla will rule on the merger of 20 rebel TMC MPs with NCPI and 6 Uddhav Sena MPs with Shinde's Shiv Sena, potentially boosting NDA numbers.
The 131st Constitution Amendment Bill (women's reservation) and the One Nation, One Election Bill are among the priority items expected this session.
A proposed 130th Constitution Amendment would automatically strip the PM, CMs, and Ministers of office if held in judicial custody for 30 consecutive days .
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has convened a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) at 5 pm on Sunday, 19 July, to finalise the legislative schedule for Parliament's Monsoon Session 2025. The session is set to commence on 20 July and run through 13 August, covering 19 sittings over four weeks.
All-Party Meeting Marred by Walkout
An all-party meeting was simultaneously underway at the Main Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe, where the government sought cooperation from all political parties for the smooth functioning of both Houses. However, the meeting was disrupted early when INDIA bloc MPs staged a walkout, protesting the presence of members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) — a rebel faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Shifting Parliamentary Arithmetic
The composition of Parliament is expected to shift ahead of the session. Speaker Birla is set to rule on the merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs with the NCPI, as well as the merger of six Uddhav Sena MPs with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. These decisions could strengthen the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s numbers while reducing the Opposition INDIA bloc's strength. Separately, following the Indian National Congress (INC)'s alliance with the TVK in Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has written to the Speaker requesting separate seating arrangements for its MPs, distancing itself from the Congress benches.
Key Bills on the Legislative Agenda
The Monsoon Session is expected to carry a dense legislative calendar. The 131st Constitution Amendment Bill on women's reservation and delimitation — rejected in the previous session — is anticipated to be taken up on priority. The government is also expected to introduce the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, which would automatically remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers from office if they remain in judicial custody for 30 consecutive days in serious criminal cases.
The One Nation, One Election Bill is also reportedly on the Centre's agenda. Additionally, the FCRA Bill, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, and the Anti-Doping Bill are expected to be presented. Bills related to Supreme Court judge strength (replacing an existing ordinance), the Code on Wages Central Rules, Corporate Law, and the Securities Market Code may also be introduced during the session.
What to Watch
The BAC meeting's outcome will set the order of business for the session's opening days. With the INDIA bloc already signalling discord at the all-party meeting and internal fissures within constituent parties widening, floor management will be a key test for both the treasury benches and the Opposition. How Speaker Birla rules on the rebel MP mergers could reshape the formal opposition count before the first vote is cast.
Point of View
But the real story is the fracturing Opposition before the first sitting even begins. The INDIA bloc's walkout at the all-party meeting — over a seating dispute, not a policy fight — signals that internal contradictions are now playing out on the floor of Parliament itself. Speaker Birla's rulings on the rebel TMC and Uddhav Sena mergers are not procedural footnotes; they will materially alter the opposition headcount and, by extension, the government's arithmetic on Constitution Amendment Bills that require a two-thirds majority. The 130th Amendment — which would effectively disqualify a sitting Prime Minister from office mid-custody — is the sleeper provision in this session's agenda, and its introduction alone will test whether the treasury benches have the numbers and the nerve.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Parliament's Monsoon Session 2025 begin and end?
The Monsoon Session is scheduled to commence on 20 July 2025 and conclude on 13 August 2025, with 19 sittings over four weeks.
What is the Business Advisory Committee meeting called by Speaker Birla about?
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla convened the Business Advisory Committee at 5 pm on 19 July to plan and schedule the day-to-day legislative agenda for the Monsoon Session. The BAC determines which bills and business are taken up on which sitting days.
Why did INDIA bloc MPs walk out of the all-party meeting?
INDIA bloc MPs staged a walkout to protest the presence of members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress, at the all-party meeting held at Parliament House Annexe.
What is the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill expected to propose?
The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill is expected to provide for the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers from office if they remain in judicial custody for 30 consecutive days in cases involving serious crimes.
How could Speaker Birla's rulings on rebel MP mergers affect Parliament's composition?
Speaker Birla is set to rule on the merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs with the NCPI and 6 Uddhav Sena MPs with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. If approved, these mergers are expected to increase NDA's effective strength while reducing the INDIA bloc's numbers in the House.
