Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Parliamentary proceedings came to a standstill on Tuesday, with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessing disruptions and ultimately being adjourned for the day amid protests by the Opposition over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
The Lok Sabha functioned for two minutes before being adjourned for the day, as Opposition members stormed into the well of the House moments after proceedings commenced.
Rajya Sabha witnessed similar scenes, where the Opposition raised several issues related to the SIR exercise, leading to an early adjournment.
The uproar began as soon as both Houses assembled for the day.
Congress-led Opposition MPs ignored repeated appeals from Speaker Om Birla and deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, raising slogans and holding placards demanding a rollback of the SIR exercise.
In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved a notice to discuss the SIR issue, but the House was adjourned within minutes.
The second day of the Monsoon session saw multiple adjournments, during Zero Hour and Question Hour, before final adjournment at 2 pm.
Opposition members continued their protest outside Parliament, demonstrating on the steps of the Makar Dwar.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were among the prominent leaders who joined the protest.
In the Lok Sabha, when the House reconvened at 2 pm, Opposition members once again trooped to the Well, chanting slogans and demanding a debate on the SIR exercise.
Dilip Saikia, who was on the chair at the time, made repeated appeals for order. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Opposition of "double standards".
“They are asking for a debate and we are ready for a debate, but they are not allowing the House to function,” Rijiju said. “Only the rule under which the discussion will take place needs to be decided. They come here carrying placards and violate the rules. I condemn this,” he said.
Rijiju maintained that the business advisory committee had agreed on Monday that the discussion on Operation Sindoor would be taken up first, and time had been fixed for it.
He accused the Opposition of wasting Parliament’s time despite the government’s readiness for a debate.
The issue of voter roll revision in Bihar has drawn sharp criticism from several Opposition leaders since its announcement.
On July 20, Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in Bihar, wrote to 35 political leaders seeking support against the SIR exercise, alleging large-scale disenfranchisement.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was planning an exercise similar to Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.
Addressing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs' Day rally, Banerjee said that she would not allow an SIR-like exercise in Bengal.
In the Rajya Sabha, 12 Opposition notices under Rule 267 — which allows for suspension of the day’s business to discuss urgent matters — were rejected by Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
Among the issues the Opposition sought to raise were the SIR exercise and the government’s delay in publishing the ASI report on Keeladi.
Tuesday’s proceedings in the Rajya Sabha held particular significance as it marked the first sitting after Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation.
Harivansh, who chaired the session, informed members of the vacancy and proceeded with the listed business before adjourning the House.
Key legislative items scheduled for the day included The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha, and The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025 in the Rajya Sabha.
Both Houses failed to transact any of the listed business due to continued disruptions.
