Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The 13th session of the 16th Punjab Legislative Assembly, marking the final monsoon session of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s current term, is scheduled to convene from August 3 to August 10, 2026, in Chandigarh. In the run-up to the sitting, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has engaged in consultations with various state departments to review pending legislative business and shape the government’s official strategy.
A major piece of legislation set to be introduced during the session is the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill aims to provide permanent statutory backing to an ordinance in place since July 13, establishing a strict 5% annual cap on private school fee hikes and making fee refunds mandatory for non-compliant institutions. The administration is also slated to table the Punjab Common Infrastructure (Regulation and Maintenance) Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes streamlining municipal taxation for industrial units.
The proceedings are anticipated to feature sharp exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has formally requested the Speaker to allocate dedicated time for debates on state security, gangster-related extortion calls, the status of anti-sacrilege legal reforms, and the state’s fiscal condition. Meanwhile, the Akal Takht secretariat has requested Sikh legislators to delay deliberations on the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act until broader consensus is established with community representatives.
