Indian Parliament Passes Judicial and MSME Bills Amid Protests

The Indian Parliament passed several key pieces of legislation on August 3 and 4, 2026, though proceedings were marred by persistent disruptions from Opposition members. In the Lok Sabha, the Government of India passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, increasing the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges to address a backlog of over 92,000 pending cases. On August 4, the Lok Sabha also passed the Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2026, to authorize excess spending from the 2023 financial year.

Simultaneously, the Rajya Sabha cleared the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The law aims to resolve liquidity crises for small businesses by allowing courts to order the payment of at least 50% of awarded amounts if challenges remain pending for over six months. It also mandates that Central Public Sector Enterprises use the Trade Receivables Discounting System for invoice settlements and establishes a national digital registration platform.

Opposition members from the INDIA bloc and Congress disrupted both houses, demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah address police violence against student protesters in New Delhi and the alleged theft of donations from the Ayodhya Ram temple. Some protests also cited NEET exam paper leaks. While the government passed the bills via voice vote, parliamentary leaders condemned the Opposition for creating a ruckus and failing to participate in constructive debate.