The Lok Sabha Tuesday passed a Bill enabling reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Goa Legislative Assembly amid protests by the Opposition demanding discussion on various issues, including the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Law and Justice, introduced the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, on August 5 last year. It aims to provide provisions empowering the ECI to make amendments to the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, and to readjust the seats in the Goa Legislative Assembly for the STs of the state. The Bill addresses the long-standing issue of lack of reserved seats for STs in the 40-member Goa Assembly. On Tuesday in Lok Sabha, Meghwal urged the House to pass the Bill, and it was passed through a voice vote. This was the first and only legislative business transaction in Lok Sabha thus far during the Monsoon Session, which commenced on July 21. Lok Sabha was initially adjourned until 2 pm amid protests by the Opposition. As soon as the House reassembled in the afternoon, the Opposition members again started raising slogans. BJP member Sandhya Ray, who was in the chair, asked the Opposition members to allow the House to function. However, as they continued their protest, she adjourned the House for the day after the Goa Bill was passed. The other three Bills listed in the revised list of business in Lok Sabha, were the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024; the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025; and the National Anti-Doping Amendment Bill, 2025. However, these could not be taken up. In the Monsoon Session of Parliament, both the Houses have not been able to transact any business except a discussion on Operation Sindoor, India's military action on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terro attack. The Opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, alleging the EC’s exercise was aimed at “disenfranchising voters” in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. Opposition leaders have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses.
