LS, RS proceedings adjourned for the day as Bihar poll roll revision protests rock House

New Delhi: Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Friday following continuous protests by Opposition parties over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. As soon as the House resumed at 2 pm, the Opposition members continued with the sloganeering. Pleas by the Chair to take up a bill, which seeks to provide seats to the Scheduled Tribes in the Goa Legislative Assembly, fell on deaf ears. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal wondered whether the Opposition was against the interest of the Scheduled Tribes and questioned their intent. As the Opposition protests continued, the House was adjourned for the day. Earlier in the day, amid sloganeering and display of placards by the protesting members, Speaker Om Birla said the decorum of the House should be maintained and also urged them to go back to their seats.

Birla repeatedly asserted that the behaviour of the members was not appropriate and also took the name of senior DMK leader T R Baalu, asking whether it is right to protest. Efforts should be made to strengthen democracy and people have given the opportunity to raise their issues, Birla said as he again urged the protesting members to allow the House to run. The Question Hour was disrupted due to the protests. With the din continuing, the proceedings were adjourned within three minutes till 2 pm.

Simultaneously, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Friday amid vociferous protests by Opposition members over the issue of Special Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The House could not function and both the Zero Hour and Question Hour were washed out. The House was earlier adjourned soon after laying of papers within minutes. When the House reassembled at 12 noon, there was no let up in the protests forcing the Chair to adjourn for the day. Some of the Opposition members even entered the Well and raised slogans against the SIR.

The House will meet again on Monday. The Opposition has been demanding a discussion in the House in the SIR issue and the withdrawal of the EC's exercise which has come ahead of Assembly elections slated to be held later this year. In the morning session, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he received 30 adjournment notices under Rule 267 for discussion on SIR, alleged discrimination against Bengali migrant workers in other states, impact of the US decision to impose 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, and mass layoffs in Indian IT sector, among others. Harviansh said that since the notices do not conform to the detailed directions imparted by the Chair, the same were declined. The Opposition was up on their feet protesting the Chair's decision, and several of them raised slogans and stood on the aisle.

The Chair allowed Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) to speak, who urged the Chair to allow discussion on SIR. Harivansh said since the matter is sub judice, he cannot allow discussion on it. "This is a sub judice matter and the rules of this House are very clear. I cannot allow (discussion)," he said, and urged the protesting members to return to their seats and called Ashok Kumar Mittal (AAP) to raise his Zero Hour mention. However, the protests continued. The Chair's repeated efforts to ensure smooth functioning went in vain, and the proceedings were adjourned within 11 minutes. According to the agenda for Friday, besides the private members' business, the House was to take up statutory resolution for continuance of President's rule in Manipur for another six months and The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025.