Income Tax Bill Clears Lok Sabha Amid Parliamentary Uproar
The Lok Sabha passed two significant tax Bills, including a revamped Income Tax Bill, on Monday amidst vociferous protests from Opposition members. The legislation was pushed through by voice vote, a move that followed a stern warning from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju that the government would not allow parliamentary proceedings to be stalled.
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Income Tax Bill(No-2) and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill. The Income-Tax (No 2) Bill is a new piece of legislation intended to replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act of 1961, with the goal of making tax laws simpler and clearer for taxpayers. It incorporates most of the recommendations from a Select Committee, including changes to streamline the tax system, reduce litigation, and clarify provisions on issues like income from house property and TDS refunds.
The Opposition’s protests, which included raising slogans and holding placards, were centered on a different issue: an alleged electoral malpractice and revision of voter rolls in Bihar. Many Opposition leaders were detained earlier in the day while marching to the Election Commission headquarters. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla admonished the Opposition, accusing them of “systematically disrupting” the House for two weeks, an action he deemed “against the democratic process.”
Despite the commotion, the government proceeded with its legislative agenda. Besides the tax Bills, the Lok Sabha also passed the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025. According to Rijiju, these were among the government’s priority Bills, demonstrating a determination to move forward with key legislation regardless of the ongoing disruptions. The Bills will now go to the Rajya Sabha for further consideration.
Source: The Hindu