Overview
- Presiding for the first time, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan urged members to uphold the Constitution and stay within the 'Lakshman Rekha' of parliamentary discourse, promising to protect members' rights within those limits.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi led cross-party felicitations, highlighting Radhakrishnan’s rise from a modest background and his record of public service, while the Chair thanked members across benches.
- Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s reference to former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation prompted sharp objections from Treasury benches, drawing interventions from Kiren Rijiju and J. P. Nadda.
- Several MPs flagged institutional concerns, noting fewer sittings and curtailed debate, with Derek O’Brien citing sessions now often below 20 days and John Brittas noting 34% of Bills passed with under one hour of Rajya Sabha discussion and 60% under two hours between 2019 and 2024.
- Radhakrishnan called for meaningful debates within tight time constraints, urged respect for institutions, and emphasized Parliament’s duty to reflect the aspirations of ordinary citizens and advance social justice.