NEW DELHI — India's Parliament remained deadlocked on Thursday despite fresh efforts by the government to engage opposition leaders, with repeated disruptions preventing normal legislative business as both sides held firm to their positions on key contentious issues.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for about 50 minutes in a bid to break the impasse that has stalled proceedings during the Monsoon Session. The meeting focused on the government's proposed constitutional amendment bills on parliamentary delimitation and the implementation of women's reservation, but no breakthrough was announced.
Congress maintained that its position on the proposed legislation remained unchanged after the talks, while government representatives continued to urge opposition parties to allow Parliament to function and debate pending business.
The continuing stalemate led to further disruptions in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, extending a series of adjournments that have significantly curtailed legislative work during the current session. Opposition members continued protests over issues they said required immediate government attention, while the ruling National Democratic Alliance accused them of obstructing parliamentary proceedings.
Despite the disruptions, the Lok Sabha passed the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, which replaces a colonial-era law, without debate after opposition members declined to participate in the discussion amid protests. The legislation was approved as the House witnessed sloganeering and repeated appeals from the Chair for order.
Government leaders have said they remain willing to discuss disputed issues on the floor of Parliament and have called on opposition parties to engage in debate rather than protests. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have argued that their concerns must be addressed before normal proceedings can resume.
The latest outreach followed a series of attempts by the government during the Monsoon Session to restore normal functioning through discussions with opposition leaders. Those efforts have so far failed to produce an agreement capable of ending the repeated adjournments.
As of Thursday evening, no joint statement had been issued following the Rijiju-Gandhi meeting, and there was no official indication that either side had altered its position. Parliament is scheduled to continue its Monsoon Session, with both the government and opposition expected to pursue further consultations while legislative business remains affected by the continuing deadlock.
