Anti-paper leak bill passed in Lok Sabha amid uproar by Opposition

The Lok Sabha witnessed a stormy debate with repeated disruptions over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's allegation that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had authorised the use of force against students during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.Lok Sabha passes anti-paper leak bill amid ruckusThe Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote after a stormy debate that saw repeated disruptions over Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's allegation that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had authorised the use of force against students during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.The proposed legislation, which now awaits passage in the Rajya Sabha, comes weeks after nationwide anti-paper leak protests. It seeks to establish fast-track courts in every state to exclusively try paper leak cases and mandates that investigations be completed within two months.It also significantly enhances punishment for offenders, prescribing imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals found guilty of leaking examination papers. Organised paper leak syndicates could face penalties of up to Rs 10 crore.Participating in the debate on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill, Gandhi alleged that Shah, who was absent from the House at the time, was responsible for the police action against protesting students. "The Home Minister ordered the shooting of our students. He put pellets into the blood of our students. He ordered the students of India to be shot," Gandhi said, referring to the police action during the CJP-led agitation.He further claimed that "the use of force can only be authorised by the Minister or the Prime Minister." His remarks triggered immediate protests from the Treasury benches, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanding that Gandhi substantiate the allegation.BJP and NDA MPs accused the Congress leader of making baseless charges against the Home Minister, leading to sloganeering and brief disruptions.They also demanded an apology, while Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reminded Gandhi that allegations made in the House must be backed by evidence.Replying to the debate, Union Minister Jitendra Singh rejected Gandhi's allegations as "factually incorrect", asserting that no bullets were fired and no order to open fire had been issued during the protest.Singh clarified that police had used only tear gas during the operation and said an order to open fire can only be issued by a magistrate, not by the police.He also dismissed Gandhi's claim that Amit Shah had travelled with a convoy of 30 vehicles, calling the allegation untrue.- EndsPublished By: Prateek ChakrabortyPublished On: Jul 29, 2026 15:24 IST