Lok Sabha set to take up tougher anti-paper leak Bill today

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha is set to discuss and pass the Public Examinations (prevention of unfair means) Amendment Bill, 2026, on Tuesday even as the Opposition on Monday evening decided to cooperate with its passing by ending their House protest. The Opposition has been seeking accountability from Home Minister Amit Shah for the police excesses on the agitating students last week and reported firing from an AK-47 by a Bihar cop at protestors in Siwan.

The Bill, introduced in the Lower House on Monday by minister of state at the PMO, Jitender Singh, proposes imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to ₹10 crore for those involved in the public examination paper leaks and other unfair means, strengthening the law passed in 2024 after the NEET paper leak controversy.

Congress leaders, who led the protests along with their allies on Monday forcing four adjournments, decided to end the stand-off after the government rejected their demand for at least a statement from Shah before taking up the Bill for consideration. Some INDIA bloc allies too pushed for participating in the Bill debate, saying the debate will help the Opposition register their larger points on the issue besides warding off the government allegation of them opposing the Bill. On its part, the government had signalled that if the Opposition MPs continued to disrupt the proceedings, it would push the Bill through, braving the protests.


With the Opposition deciding to resume House work, the stage is set for a contentious discussion, with Opposition members having already moved more than 90 amendments to the Bill, which seeks to further tighten the anti-paper leak law enacted in 2024 although they don't have the numbers to dictate.

Among the Congress MPs tentatively listed for the debate are Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. It is being watched whether Shah will intervene in the discussion. From the NDA side, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, TDP's Lavu Srikrishna Devrayalu, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde among others are likely to speak.

When the INDIA bloc floor leaders met before the start of the sitting on Monday, the Congress side advocated an all-out protest seeking accountability from Shah but many allies favoured making use of the House debate.

For the day, however, the Congress had its say. The House protests washed out the proceedings of the day.