The Rajasthan assembly that reassembled on Thursday after a five-day Holi break witnessed stormy scenes, heated exchanges between the presiding officer in Chair and senior Congress MLA Govind Singh Dotasra, for almost an hour this evening.
Opposition Congress members gathered in the well, shouted slogans in protest against the Chairperson’s directive to a member for concluding his speech and forced a brief adjournment of the House.
The trouble erupted suddenly when senior Congress MLA Hari Mohan Sharma was speaking during the debate on the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Chairman Sandeep Sharma asked the Bundi MLA to conclude fast as the time limit given for him is about to exhaust. Then soon after, the Chair sounded the alarm bell and asked Sharma to sit down.
This did not receive well by the Congress members, particularly senior MLA and the party state president Dotasra and the MLA in reference Hari Mohan Sharma. Dotasra strongly contested Chairman Sharma’s intervention saying ‘The member is speaking well on the topic why he is being stopped from completing his speech. He should not be interrupted by ringing the bell.
This broke agitated arguments and heated exchanges between Chairman Sharma and Dotasra in which both showed aggressive gestures and also used unparliamentary potshots.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joga Ram Patel, his cabinet colleagues Avinash Gehlot, Madan Dilawar and several members in the Treasury Benches also joined in the arguments to condemn Dotasra. This prompted Opposition Congress members to troop into the well and raise slogans.
Chairman Sharma said, “My privilege (right) of ringing the bell could not be challenged, you (Dotasra) are in the practice (habit) of causing disruptions on every occasion and disregarding the Chair.
Patel said that Chair’s ruling can not be challenged, Dotasra is a habitual violator of Chair’s directives. Minister Avinash Gehlot even urged for action against him.
At one point in time, some Congress MLAs even reached across the well near the seat of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel and Education Minister Dilawar was about to clash physically with Congress member Hakim Ali. However, the situation was saved somehow from taking an ugly turn and the House was adjourned for almost half an hour this evening by Arjun Lal Jingar who meanwhile had sat in the Chair to relieve Sharma.
On reassembly, Speaker Vasudev Devnani assured, “I shall deliver my ruling on the disruptions in the House, tomorrow after reviewing the telecast and recording of the proceedings. Right now, let the house discharge the business of the day and take up to pass the bill under consideration”.
Hence, the House passed by voice vote two Bills – The Rajasthan Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2026 and “The Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2026, notified on February 17, 2026, amends the 1958 Act to increase daily working hours from 9 to 10 hours and quarterly overtime limits from 50 to 144 hours.
It redefines “young persons” (14–18 years), increases the minimum apprentice age to 14, and allows greater operational flexibility for employers.