New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha, India’s Upper House of Parliament, witnessed a brief but intense session on Tuesday morning before being adjourned until 2 p.m., as opposition members intensified their protests over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The adjournment, coming just 20 minutes into proceedings, underscored the deepening impasse in the Winter Session, now in its second day, where demands for debate on alleged voter disenfranchisement have overshadowed legislative business.
Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, who assumed office in September, called the House to order at 11 a.m., but was immediately met with slogan-shouting from the Opposition benches.
Led by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and allies from the INDIA bloc — including Trinamool Congress, DMK, and AAP — members trooped into the Well of the House, brandishing placards reading “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chod (Vote Thief, Quit the Throne)”.
They renewed calls for an urgent discussion under Rule 267 on the SIR process, underway in 12 states and union territories ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, claiming it has led to over 30 deaths among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the wrongful deletion of millions of names, particularly from marginalised communities.
Kharge, invoking Monday’s unresolved notices, accused the government of “saving itself at democracy’s expense”.
“We submitted detailed notices yesterday — names, subjects, everything — but they were ignored. Thirty lives lost, families shattered, and you have ignored it all,” he said.
From the Treasury side, Leader of House J.P. Nadda urged restraint, promising consultations. “The Chair will decide; let’s not derail the session. Multiple bills await,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, fired back with a mix of plea and provocation, “You’re fixated on one issue when the nation grapples with floods, jobs, and security. Elections you lose, anger you vent here — focus on governance, not grandstanding.”
His remark drew sharp rebuttals, with Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien retorting, “We’re fighting for votes, not vengeance; your delays are the real drama.”
Chairman Radhakrishnan, maintaining his characteristic calm, appealed for order multiple times, warning against disruptions. Meanwhile, the routine business continued amid uproar and sloganeering. The chairman again pleaded with the opposition members to maintain order, but din persisted, forcing the adjournment till 2 p.m.
(IANS)
