Rahul, Priyanka, Bansuri, Tejasvi Set for Showdown as Lok Sabha Debates Anti-Paper Leak Bill

Lok Sabha Set for High-Stakes Debate on Anti-Paper Leak Bill; Rahul, Priyanka, Bansuri, Tejasvi Among Key Speakers

The Lok Sabha is set to witness a high-profile debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 on Tuesday, July 28, with senior leaders from both the Opposition and the ruling NDA expected to participate.

Scheduled to begin around 2 pm, the discussion will be the first major parliamentary debate on the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and the broader issue of examination integrity. The government has earmarked eight hours for the debate after repeated disruptions during the Monsoon Session. According to parliamentary sources, the decision to take up the bill followed consultations initiated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Opposition Banks on Top Leadership

The Congress is expected to field its senior-most leaders during the discussion.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is likely to lead the party’s attack on the government, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also expected to speak, underlining the political significance the Congress has attached to the issue. Senior leaders K.C. Venugopal and Gaurav Gogoi are also expected to participate.

The INDIA bloc is also likely to be represented by NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, as Opposition parties seek to corner the government over alleged lapses that led to the NEET-UG paper leak and other examination-related controversies.

The Congress has consistently accused the Centre of failing to safeguard the integrity of public examinations and has linked the proposed legislation to the handling of the NEET controversy.

NDA to Counter With Young and Senior Leaders

The BJP is expected to deploy a mix of experienced parliamentarians and emerging leaders to defend the legislation.

According to the NDA’s proposed speakers’ list, Bansuri Swaraj and Tejasvi Surya are expected to be among the principal BJP speakers during the debate.

Other NDA leaders likely to participate include Lavu Krishna Devarayalu of the TDP, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) of JD(U), Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena, Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal (S) and Sunil Tatkare of the NCP.

Sources also indicated that either Saayoni Ghosh or Mitali Bagh could speak on behalf of the Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar-led faction of the Trinamool Congress.

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday amid noisy protests by Opposition members.

What the Bill Proposes

The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 by prescribing tougher penalties for paper leak offences.

Among the key provisions are:

Increasing the prison term from the existing three to five years to five to ten years.
Raising the maximum fine from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
Creating dedicated investigation mechanisms for examination-related crimes.
Providing for faster investigation and trial of paper leak cases.

The government says the amendments are intended to dismantle organised paper leak networks and restore confidence in recruitment and entrance examinations.

A Crucial Test for Parliament

The debate follows a week of political confrontation during the Monsoon Session, with Opposition parties repeatedly demanding accountability over the NEET controversy, the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and action over the alleged police crackdown on student protesters.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged Opposition parties to participate in the discussion, maintaining that the government is prepared to push ahead with the legislation.

With both sides fielding prominent leaders, Tuesday’s debate is expected to be one of the most closely watched discussions of the Monsoon Session, as Parliament takes up legislation that could shape the future of public examinations affecting millions of students and job aspirants across the country.