Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Tuesday ruled out discussions on a sub judice matter in the Upper House, rejecting a consistent demand by the Opposition for a debate on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

Proceedings in Parliament have been stalled as the government has not agreed to the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the SIR, being conducted by the Election Commission. The matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

Leader of the House and health minister J.P. Nadda welcomed what Harivansh said, saying it would be a reference point for demands by any member for discussion in the House in future.

Members seek discussion under Rule 267 in the Upper House on important issues. The listed business of the day is suspended if any notice is accepted under Rule 267. Since 2016, the Rajya Sabha has not admitted any notice under Rule 267.

In the last nine years, the Chairpersons have been reading out the names of members and the subjects they sought for discussion under Rule 267 before finally turning them down. On Tuesday, Harivansh said 34 notices were received for discussion under Rule 267, but did not read the names of the members and the issues.

In December 2022, former Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had given a ruling that members seeking discussion under Rule 267 must indicate the business and rules to be suspended.

Harivansh said most of the notices do not mention the rule they seek to suspend, a mandatory requirement under Rule 267. Other notices were not in a proper format. The directives given by the Chair in 2022 had not been complied with, he said.

Harivansh also quoted former Lok Sabha Speaker Balaram Jakhar, who had said that the EC is an autonomous body and its decisions cannot be discussed in Parliament.