Lok Sabha adjourned amid protests over Bihar electoral roll revision

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day due to persistent opposition protests demanding a debate on Bihar's electoral roll revision. Speaker Om Birla and other leaders condemned the repeated disruptions that have stalled legislative business during the Monsoon session

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday due to continuous noisy protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

Ahead of the adjournment, the Chair reminded the opposition members that since the Monsoon session began, not even a single bill has been passed by the House due to repeated disruptions.

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When the House met at 2 pm, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and holding placards. The opposition has been demanding a discussion on the SIR exercise initiated by the Election Commission in Bihar ahead of the state polls due later this year.

Jagdambika Pal, who was chairing the proceedings, said two key sports bills were listed for discussion on Monday and the House will not be doing justice with the players if the bills are not debated and passed.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya echoed similar views. Pal also told members that Speaker Om Birla has directed police to take strong action, in an apparent reference to Congress MP R Sudha’s gold chain being snatched in Delhi.

Amid continued din, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary moved a statutory resolution on customs duty, which was passed by a voice vote. A peeved Pal reminded the opposition members that since the Monsoon session began on July 21, not even a single bill has been passed by the House due to repeated disruptions.

This is the third week when the House proceedings have been disrupted by sloganeering by opposition members, he said before adjourning the House for the day. Earlier in the day, Birla said he has been trying every day to run the House smoothly, but protesting members are systematically disrupting proceedings of the House.

“You have been elected by lakhs of people to represent their hopes and aspirations and raise their issues. But you are not interested in allowing the House to function smoothly. You are lowering the dignity of the House by systematically obstructing the proceedings and by showing placards,” he added.

Birla said if the members have any issue, they should come to him for discussion, but should allow Question Hour to function smoothly as many important issues are raised during the time and the government replies to them.

“I will give each of you enough time to raise your issues like I did in the past, but please allow the House to run,” he said. However, the opposition ignored the speaker’s pleas, forcing him to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

Barring discussions on Operation Sindoor in both Houses, Parliament has seen little business since the Monsoon session began on July 21 due to repeated adjournments. This was initially due to the opposition demanding a discussion on Operation Sindoor and then the SIR in Bihar.