New Delhi: The Winter Session of Lok Sabha plunged into turmoil yet again on Tuesday as vociferous protests by opposition members over alleged “vote chori” in recent elections and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and union territories forced a second adjournment of the day till 2 p.m.
The House had reconvened at noon after a brief and stormy sitting from 11 a.m. Within minutes, opposition MPs rushed into the Well, raising thunderous slogans of ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor!’ and waving placards demanding an immediate discussion on what they called a “conspiracy to delete genuine voters” through the SIR exercise.
Deputy Speaker Sandhya Rai, presiding over the proceedings, repeatedly urged the members to return to their seats. She assured the House that none of the more than 20 adjournment motion notices submitted by the opposition had been rejected by the Speaker and that the issues could be taken up if the House was allowed to function.
Her appeals, however, went unheeded amid the unrelenting din.
Before the protests drowned out all business, the Lok Sabha managed to complete some routine but significant work.
Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Pankaj Chaudhary and Kirti Vardhan Singh laid papers on behalf of their respective ministries.
The Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers presented two key reports — one examining the steep rise in medicine prices and its impact on common citizens, and another on achieving self-reliance in fertiliser production.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan moved a motion to elect two Lok Sabha members to the Council of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, while extensions were granted to the select committees examining the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Supplementary Demands for Grants (First Batch) for 2025-26 and introduced three bills, including the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025, which immediately drew sharp protests from Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy, who termed it an “extra tax burden on the aam aadmi”.
As the sloganeering only grew louder, an exasperated Deputy Speaker warned that she would be compelled to adjourn the House.
She asked them, “Why do you not want to run the zero hour?”
When calm did not return, she finally rose and announced adjournment till 2 p.m.
With both sides digging in — the opposition adamant on not letting the House run without a debate on electoral malpractice and the treasury benches determined to push ahead with legislative business — the Winter Session 2025 appears set for prolonged disruption.
(IANS)
