Monsoon Session 2025 Ends: Jagdeep Dhankhar’s Resignation To Amit Shah's Bill On Tainted Ministers — 10 Key Highlights

New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded on Thursday, August 21, in an atmosphere of sustained turbulence, marked by heated debates, surprise resignations and continuing protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar.

Here are the ten major developments that defined the session:

1. Dhankhar resigns mid-term

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar shocked Parliament on the opening day by resigning two years ahead of his term citing health reasons. His abrupt decision, with no prior indication, led to intense speculation in political circles about factors beyond his official explanation. The move left a vacuum at the top of the Rajya Sabha and quickly became the most discussed event of the session.

2. Modi and Gandhi clash over Operation Sindoor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi engaged in a combative debate on Operation Sindoor. Modi accused Congress of trusting Pakistan over the Indian Army and government, while Gandhi charged that the operation was orchestrated to shield the Prime Minister’s image and unnecessarily restricted Indian pilots. The exchanges brought proceedings to a halt on multiple occasions.

3. INDIA bloc protests over SIR

The opposition INDIA bloc kept up pressure on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision drive in Bihar. Opposition leaders alleged “vote theft” and staged protests both inside and outside Parliament, displaying placards reading “Stop vote chori.” The government accused them of deliberately derailing legislative business.

4. Shah introduces bill on tainted ministers

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled a controversial bill requiring prime ministers, chief ministers and ministers to step down if detained for 30 days on serious charges. The bill, however, allows reinstatement after release. Its timing, just before the close of the session, attracted criticism from the opposition benches.

5. Lok Sabha Speaker forms probe committee

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted a three-member panel to investigate allegations in the “cash-at-home” controversy involving Justice Yashwant Varma. The committee includes senior advocate P V Acharya, Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar and Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava.

6. Historic contest in Vice President polls

For the first time since Independence, both ruling and opposition alliances nominated candidates from southern states for the vice-presidential election. The NDA fielded C P Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu, while the INDIA bloc named Justice B Sudershan Reddy from Telangana. The contest is being viewed as a landmark in the country’s political history.

7. Online money gaming banned

Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The legislation bans all money-based online games, prohibits related advertisements and restricts banks from processing payments for such activities. The Rajya Sabha approved the bill without debate amid noisy protests.

8. Productivity slows after July 21

Both Houses witnessed a steep decline in legislative business after 21 July. During the session, the Lok Sabha passed 12 bills and the Rajya Sabha cleared 14. Apart from Operation Sindoor discussions, most scheduled work stalled due to repeated protests and disruptions.

9. Monsoon Session concludes amid disorder

Speaker Om Birla closed the Monsoon Session with a sharp rebuke to the opposition. He criticised what he described as “planned disruptions” and “sloganeering,” pointing out that the Lok Sabha functioned for only 37 hours against a planned 120.

10. Session comes to a turbulent close

The month-long session ended with little consensus between the treasury benches and the opposition. While the government cited key legislative achievements, the opposition maintained its protests had exposed critical gaps in governance, particularly on the conduct of the Election Commission and Operation Sindoor.

Published on: Thursday, August 21, 2025, 05:16 PM IST