Monsoon Session: Kerala Name Change Bill to be Introduced in LS

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up the introduction of several key bills, including the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, and the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Amit Shah is scheduled to move for leave to introduce the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, seeking to alter the name of the state of Kerala, along with the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to further amend the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962.

Alongside these, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move to introduce the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, aimed at improving efficiency, independence, transparency and uniformity in the qualifications, appointments and service conditions of chairpersons and members across various tribunals, and proposing a National Tribunals Commission. The Lok Sabha's list of business also includes the laying of papers on the table by several Union ministers, including Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jayant Chaudhary, Pankaj Chaudhary, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Sukanta Majumdar and Tokhan Sahu.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha is slated to take up the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill on Monday, both of which have already been passed by the Lok Sabha. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is slated to move the two bills for consideration and passing in the House.

The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, Income-tax Act, 2025, and Finance Act, 2026, proposing tax changes aimed at boosting investment, supporting manufacturing, and providing tax certainty, replacing the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. The government has said the amendments are intended to mitigate external economic shocks arising from evolving geopolitical developments and disruptions in global trade and supply chains, while ensuring domestic economic stability and easing business operations.

The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill seeks to modernise the legal framework governing the admissibility of bank records as evidence, aligning it with contemporary digital banking practices. It provides that electronic or digital records of a banker's book will be admissible and legally enforceable as evidence, and expands the definition of "bankers' books" to cover records maintained in physical, electronic, digital, virtual and cloud-based forms. Both bills were passed in the Lok Sabha by voice vote without discussion amid opposition protests over the police action against protestors in the national capital on July 20.

As the Monsoon Session draws near its close, the government is likely to bring up the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, for discussion and passing before it concludes on August 13. The Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, with the stated aim of enhancing transparency and accountability in the regulation of foreign contributions. It provides that an organisation's FCRA registration will cease upon expiry, non-renewal or refusal of renewal by the government, and proposes a designated authority to oversee the vesting, supervision, management and disposal of foreign contributions and related assets.

Reports indicate the Bill is likely to be taken up in the Lok Sabha on August 12. It has drawn strong pushback from Christian groups and minority organisations, who have met Shah to press for withdrawal of the Bill or its referral to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, repeal of Section 15 of the Principal FCRA Act, 2010, and safeguards against administrative delays triggering automatic cessation or vesting of community and religious assets.

The Congress has issued a whip to its Lok Sabha MPs ahead of the anticipated discussion. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant accused the government of selective concern over foreign funding, alleging a calculated agenda behind such moves. BJD MP Sulata Deo said her party's position would depend on a closer reading of the bill's provisions once formally tabled, while AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the Bill should first go through the Business Advisory Committee. DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said his party would oppose the Bill, calling several of its provisions detrimental to the minority Christian community, and would push for it to be referred to a joint parliamentary committee.

Another point of political tension is the delimitation exercise, with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge saying any government move to again link the Delimitation Bill with women's reservation would be discussed collectively by opposition parties. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 16 to expand the Lok Sabha's strength to 850 seats and expedite implementation of the 2023 Women's Reservation Bill, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. While Congress and other opposition parties support the women's reservation bill, they have opposed the delimitation exercise and demanded that the two be delinked, with the party also calling for an all-party meeting on the issue.