Rajya Sabha Returns Manipur Budget, GST Bills Amid Opposition Protests

Swift Summary:

• On August 11, 2025, the Rajya Sabha returned two bills to the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session amid opposition protests:

– Manipur Appropriation Bill, 2025: Authorizes payment and appropriation of funds from Manipur’s Consolidated Fund for financial year 2025-26.
– Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025: Reflects GST Council decisions and replaces an earlier ordinance.

• Opposition MPs protested against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar and demanded Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge be allowed to speak during debates on these bills.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized Opposition MPs for opposing Manipur’s budget while concurrently protesting over unrelated issues.
• Both Money Bills were passed via voice vote despite opposition members raising slogans and some entering the Well of the House.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The return of these key financial bills highlights logistical functionality amidst political turmoil in Parliament. The contentious nature of debates linked with regional issues-such as Bihar’s SIR-underscores continuing tensions between ruling parties focused on legislative agendas (e.g., state budgets or GST revisions) versus opposition concerns about local governance or election matters. While procedural passage ensures fiscal operations for Manipur-a critical step-the interruptions reflect broader challenges in maintaining cohesive dialog within India’s democratic framework.

Finance Minister Sitharaman’s remarks point out a potential disconnect between protest strategies employed by certain opposition factions compared to direct contributions in substantive policymaking debates like state finances or tax law amendments.

Link to read more: Parliament Monsoon Session Day 16 highlights