Lok Sabha passes Appropriation Bill

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Tuesday after the passage of the Appropriation Bill, 2026 amid Opposition protest over alleged theft of donation at the Ram Temple and other issues.

Soon after the House assembled at 2 pm after an earlier adjournment, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a Bill to replace an Ordinance which scraped income tax with regard to foreign investment in Government securities.

Opposition members, who had given notices to speak against introduction of the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, chose not to do so despite their names being called by the Chair.

The Bill seeks to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, the Income-tax Act, 2025, and the Finance Act, 2027.

Amid the uproar, the Lok Sabha passed the Appropriation (No 3) Bill, 2026 by voice vote.

The Bill seeks to provide for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on March 31, 2023, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year. Earlier, when the Lok Sabha met for the day, Speaker Om Birla urged members to allow the Question Hour to function and appealed for their cooperation.

Opposition members continued raising slogans, including “Home Minister, answer us”, amid their protest over the police action on student protesters during their march to Parliament on July 20.

Birla said he had appealed to leaders of all parties at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament. Describing Parliament as the highest forum of democracy, he said it should be used to discuss and pass laws for the country and was not a platform for slogan-shouting or displaying placards.

So far, five Bills have been passed by the Lok Sabha during the current Monsoon Session. Of these, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 have been approved by both Houses.

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2026 and the Supreme Court Judges (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to increase the sanctioned strength of the apex court from 34 to 38 judges, are awaiting consideration in the Rajya Sabha.