The Government of India has tabled the ISI Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on August 3. This Bill seeks to repeal the ISI Act of 1959, abolish the ISI Society formed by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and other eminent persons, and reformulate the structure and function of ISI as a “statutory body corporate.”  No Review Committee formed by the GoI over the decades to assess the functional progress of ISI has ever suggested repealing the ISI Act.  In fact, most recommended changes to improve the function of ISI can easily be accommodated within the current ISI Act.  The ISI Bill has been introduced in the Lok Sabha without any discussion with ISI, in spite of repeated appeals.

We, the signatories, once again appeal to the Government of India, to immediately initiate discussions with the ISI. This may be facilitated by constituting an appropriate Committee of Parliamentarians to examine the Bill and hold discussions with ISI.