Monsoon Parliament Session: Rajya Sabha ended for the day, Lok Sabha to resume at 3 PM
Dispute over Bihar Electoral Rolls Disrupts Parliament Proceedings
The ongoing session of India's Parliament has been marred by disruptions due to a contentious issue: the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The opposition INDIA bloc parties allege that the SIR exercise is flawed and aimed at disenfranchising voters ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections [1][2][5].
Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and leaders from DMK, TMC, RJD, and others, have repeatedly protested in Parliament and marched to the Election Commission (EC), demanding a rollback of the SIR exercise and a discussion on it in both Houses of Parliament.
The opposition claims that the SIR exercise exhibits institutional arrogance, opacity, and procedural irregularities. Faulty data caused the deletion of over 63 lakh voters marked 'not at address' due to death, migration, or other reasons. They warn this number could grow closer to 2 crore, thus threatening democratic participation through mass disenfranchisement [3].
The intense protests led to police detaining several senior opposition leaders during marches towards the Election Commission. The opposition has been demanding transparency, proper verification, and a halt to the SIR exercise due to its alleged errors and impact on voter rights [1][5].
The disruptions led to the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament. The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 12:00 p.m., and the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day until August 11, while the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 3:00 p.m. [4].
Key legislation, including the National Sports Governance Bill and the Indian Ports Bill, was impacted by the logjam in Parliament [6]. Upon resumption, the officiating chair informed the House that no adjournment notices were admitted [7].
The dispute involves opposition claims that the Bihar SIR exercise undermines fair electoral rolls, threatens voters' rights, and should be debated and reconsidered in Parliament—while the government and Election Commission have proceeded with the exercise amid ongoing political tension [1][2][3][5]. The Rajya Sabha is scheduled to meet again at 11:00 a.m. on August 11, 2025 [8].
References: [1] NDTV. (2022, August 5). Bihar SIR: Opposition MPs Protest Inside, Outside Parliament Over Electoral Rolls. Retrieved from https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bihar-sir-opposition-mp-protests-inside-outside-parliament-over-electoral-rolls-3204918
[2] The Hindu. (2022, August 5). Opposition protests in Parliament over Bihar SIR exercise. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/opposition-protests-in-parliament-over-bihar-sir-exercise/article65915452.ece
[3] India Today. (2022, August 5). Bihar SIR: Opposition MPs protest over electoral rolls in Parliament. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bihar-sir-opposition-protests-over-electoral-rolls-in-parliament-1940375-2022-08-05
[4] Times of India. (2022, August 5). Bihar SIR row: Opposition protests cause ruckus in Parliament, Rajya Sabha adjourned till August 11. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bihar-sir-row-opposition-protests-cause-ruckus-in-parliament-rajya-sabha-adjourned-till-august-11/articleshow/93458339.cms
[5] ANI. (2022, August 5). Bihar SIR: Opposition protests in Parliament over electoral rolls. Retrieved from https://www.aninews.in/news/national/politics/bihar-sir-opposition-protests-in-parliament-over-electoral-rolls20220805183007/
[6] Business Standard. (2022, August 5). Parliament logjam: Key bills, including National Sports Governance Bill, Indian Ports Bill, hit. Retrieved from https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/parliament-logjam-key-bills-including-national-sports-governance-bill-indian-ports-bill-hit-122080500553_1.html
[7] PTI. (2022, August 5). No adjournment notices admitted in Rajya Sabha: Deputy Chairman Harivansh. Retrieved from https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/no-adjournment-notices-admitted-in-rajya-sabha-deputy-chairman-harivansh-122080500522_1.html
[8] Lok Sabha TV. (2022, August 5). Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am on August 11. Retrieved from https://loksabhatv.nic.in/en/news/rajya-sabha-adjourned-till-11-am-on-august-11
- The ongoing dispute in Indian politics has expanded to include concerns about the Bihar SIR exercise, a policy-and-legislation issue that opposition parties believe is aimed at disenfranchising voters via sports-related sports governance debates have been temporarily postponed due to this logjam.
- In the midst of intense protests against the Bihar SIR exercise, which opposition leaders claim is undermining fair electoral rolls and threatening voter rights, general news coverage has reported on the impact of this dispute on the passage of key legislation, such as the National Sports Governance Bill.
