INDIA bloc MPs walk out from RS during debate on bill to increase number of judges in SC

Members of INDIA bloc parties on Wednesday, August 5, staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha during a debate on a bill to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court.

The members of the Opposition bloc were protesting Deputy Chairman Harivansh's decision not to allow senior Congress member Vivek Tankha to raise the issue of abrogation of Article 370, making Jammu & Kashmir a Union Territory while speaking on the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026.

As Tankha questioned the haste with which the government brought the ordinance to raise the number of judges in May this year, just ahead of the Supreme Court's summer vacation, he talked about the abrogation of Article 370.

The Deputy Chairman stopped him from raising matters other than related to the bill.

This led to protest by Congress members, with Deputy Leader of Congress Pramod Tiwari objecting to Harivansh not allowing Tankha to complete his speech and said the INDIA bloc members were walking out.

The Opposition members were also demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House and answer their questions on police action on students during recent protests over NEET paper leak.

The discussion on the bill continued even after the INDIA bloc members walked out.