Govt says no debate on SIR due to rules

NEw new delhi: The authorities on midweek turned land the oppositeness’s demand for a discussion on the Election Commission’s ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and said in the Lok Sabha that matters pending before the judiciary cannot be discussed on the floor of the House.Some Opposition leaders said that instead of SIR, they have proposed a debate on “electoral reforms” as a way to end the deadlock in Parliament. However, government managers indicated the ruling side is unlikely to accede to any such debate.“The government has been very open to taking up discussion on any matter... However, any discussion in the Parliament has to be in accordance with constitutional provisions and also in accordance with the rules as prescribed in the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Lok Sabha,” parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha.“On the issue of intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar for which they (opposition members) are disturbing the House from first day of the session, we all know that the matter is under consideration of the Supreme Court and as such it is sub judice and a hence a discussion cannot be held on the subject,” he added.The minister also cited a 1988 ruling by then Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar that under the existing constitutional provisions, the House cannot comment upon the actions of the Election Commission. Jakhar, according to Rijiju, had said that he cannot break the rules by allowing a discussion on the functioning of EC.The Supreme Court is hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the ongoing SIR exercise in Bihar. On Wednesday, the top court directed EC to file a reply by August 9 in response to allegations that over 6.5 million names were deleted from Bihar’s draft rolls.Rijiju underlined that the issue relates to the functioning of EC, which is an autonomous body.The minister also urged the Opposition members to participate in the debates for the passage of key legislations. “I urge the members not to disrupt the House. There are important bills to be taken up,” he added.Meanwhile, several opposition party leaders urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer two bills — the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — to a joint committee of Parliament for further scrutiny. In a joint letter to the Speaker, the opposition leaders said there is a need for a broader consensus on the two significant bills, listed for consideration and passage in the House, considering their national importance.Proceedings in both houses have been disrupted by the Opposition, which has been creating uproar in Parliament on their demand for a discussion on SIR, which they allege is aimed at disenfranchising a large number of voters.Addressing a joint press conference of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the argument that the functioning of EC cannot be discussed in Parliament as it is an independent constitutional body.Kharge cited former Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s July 21, 2023 ruling that the House is authorised to debate anything under the sun and under the planet.“We have been urging the speaker, chairman and the government again and again that the voting rights of people should not be stolen... That is what is happening in the SIR exercise,” the Congress chief said.Alleging that government was manipulating the electoral system according to its own convenience, Kharge said that while a huge number of voters were added in the electoral list in Maharashtra, the names of voters are being deleted in assembly poll-bound Bihar.