Parliament passes Tribunals Reforms Bill amid Opposition walkout

The Rajya Sabha in India passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026 by voice vote on Tuesday, amid slogans and a walkout by the Opposition. Deputy Chairman Harivansh gave the Opposition Leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, the floor at the beginning of the debate, but he was cut off when he tried to raise the Ram Mandir donation theft row. The Opposition MPs then staged a walkout from the House.

The bill aims to establish a National Tribunal Commission, chaired by a former Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of High Courts, and comprising two judicial and two technical members. The proposed commission will ensure a transparent system for timely and fair dispute resolution, allowing capital investments to flow back into the economy.

The minister defending the bill noted that previous governments had rationalized the number of tribunals from 26 to 19, and recently to 16. He addressed concerns about skewed representation of judges from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, stating that the current government has written to the judiciary for improved representation among new judges.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified that the government is committed to appointing individuals from minority communities, citing his own appointment as a tribal law minister as evidence.