The proceedings in the Lower House of the Parliament were adjourned till 2pm while the Upper House was adjourned till 12 noon on Thursday amid protests by the Opposition.
The first week of the Monsoon Session of Parliament saw a major ruckus, as the opposition slammed the SIR electoral roll during the discussion. However, after an intense debate on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam attack in the Parliament this week, the ruckus around the SIR electoral row has again ignited.
Several MPs of the INDIA bloc parties, including Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, protested in the Parliament House complex. The protest against the Bihar electoral roll was conducted by the opposition on Thursday. The protest stands against the Election Commission`s voter roll revision in Bihar and demands its rollback.
As reported by news agency PTI, ahead of the day`s proceedings in Parliament, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other opposition MPs raised slogans and protested the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House during the question hour amid sloganeering by the Opposition MPs. The Opposition MPs showed placards and entered the well of the House.
During the early hours of Thursday, there was a huge banner in front, which read `SIR- Loktantra Pe Vaar.` The opposition leaders lined up near the steps of the Makar Dwar of Parliament and staged a protest for the eighth consecutive day.
With `Stop SIR` placards along with posters alleging collusion between EC and the government in hand, several MPs of the opposition, including those of the Congress, DMK, TMC, Samajwadi Party, RJD, and Left parties, participated in the protest and raised slogans, as per news agency PTI.
The opposition has been strongly protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR. The INDIA bloc argues that the Election Commission`s exercise was aimed at “disenfranchising voters” in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. Opposition in view of this matter has been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses of the Parliament.
Earlier on July 11, the Supreme Court of India had already allowed the Election Commission of India to continue with its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it a “constitutional mandate.”
However, the bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi questioned the timing of the exercise, besides offering its prima facie view that Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ration cards could be considered during the SIR in Bihar.
The Supreme Court also stated that, “We are of the prima facie view that Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ration cards be allowed in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls,” as cited by news agency PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)