Government needs to pass bills but SIR may keep Parliament paralysed

NEW DELHI: As the month-long monsoon session of Parliament enters its third week on Monday, another round of deadlock is not ruled out even as the govt has no option but to seek passage of several crucial bills, amid opposition's determined bid to carry on with its protests over the special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls.

Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the SIR exercise, which the govt has rejected because it cannot make a reply on behalf of the Election Commission, an independent constitutional body not represented by any department. Besides, the govt has cited a ruling of former speaker Balram Jakhar that Parliament can't discuss the administrative work of constitutional bodies like EC.


The govt is likely to remain firm on its stand and has more reasons for it as it will cite the "double voter ID" held by Bihar opposition leader, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav. Yadav had said that his name from the voters' roll had been omitted, a claim promptly rejected by EC, which disclosed the voter roll number and sought a reply from him for holding two EPIC cards.

The govt's confidence to negate the opposition's claims has further grown as the analysis of SIR figures has shown no systematic targeting of Muslims. Figures released Friday also show that migrants have not been affected and the number of deletions in constituencies where BJP-led NDA candidates won is not higher than in those taken by the opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar.

With more reasons to assert that there are no irregularities in the SIR exercise, the govt is likely to push the passage of a key sports bill in Lok Sabha. The Lower House has listed the National Sports Governance Bill, which envisages greater transparency in the functioning of sports bodies, including BCCI, for consideration and passage.

Rajya Sabha has listed for passage on Monday a resolution from home minister Amit Shah on the extension of President's Rule in Manipur by another six months with effect from Aug 13.

Except for a two-day discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in both the Houses, parliamentary proceedings have been all but a washout since the session began on July 21 as the SIR has ignited vociferous protests from opposition parties.

INDIA bloc, which has in previous sessions often spoken in different voices, has joined ranks over the issue, alleging that EC's exercise is aimed at removing voters sympathetic to its agenda and boosting the prospects of NDA.

EC has said it will roll out the exercise nationally to "protect" the integrity of electoral rolls to ensure only eligible voters are allowed to cast votes. However, leader of opposition in LS Rahul Gandhi has accused EC of "vote chori (stealing votes)" and has been fiercely critical of the poll body. EC in a statement Saturday rejected Rahul's allegations as "baseless", "unsubstantiated" and "misleading".

INDIA bloc planning march to EC office

INDIA bloc is mulling a march to the EC office on Friday to protest the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and the exercise being planned nationally. The march, if finalised, would come a day after the opposition alliance meets for a dinner discussion on Thursday. The meeting has been called to discuss the Bihar SIR exercise, but Rahul Gandhi may give a presentation to allies on the “deep dive” in a sample seat — Bangalore rural LS — that Congress has done which, he claimed, has unearthed irregularities in the voters’ list. He has called it the modus operandi of how voters’ lists are being manipulated all over states.