SIR set to eclipse Winter Session in Parliament showdown today

NEW DELHI: The controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is sure to cast its shadow on the Winter Session of Parliament which begins today as several parties appeared determined against it with the threat looming large in the background of stalling proceedings in both houses if a discussion is not allowed on it.

At an all-party meeting convened by the government on Sunday to seek the Opposition’s support for smooth functioning of Parliament, several parties raised the demand for a discussion on SIR of electoral rolls together with issues of national security in the wake of the Delhi blast and worsening air pollution in the national capital.

Issues like foreign policy, price rise, unemployment, new labour codes and federalism amid charges that governors sitting on Bills passed by state legislatures and funds of Opposition-ruled states being held up were also raised and would come up during the session beginning December 1.

The government, while seeking the Opposition’s support, said it would continue to engage with all parties to ensure smooth functioning of the session.

At the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, the Opposition kept up its demand for a discussion on the larger issue of electoral reforms and not specifically on SIR. The government assured the opposition that it will convey its views on it soon.

The government also pushed for a discussion on Vande Mataram, our national song, and 150th anniversary of its composition, but several opposition parties, the TMC not one of them, were not enthusiastic about it.

The Lok Sabha has allotted 10 hours for the discussion and the date will be decided by Speaker Om Birla.

The Lok Sabha has listed The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, for Monday and allotted three hours for it.

The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, which seeks to levy a cess to augment resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health, are slated for introduction.

The Rajya Sabha BAC meeting remained inconclusive and would again be held this evening.

Opposition leaders said they want Parliament to function by starting a discussion on SIR at 2 pm, but the government did not agree. They said the government would be responsible for any disruption.

The ruling NDA is likely to come up with 14 legislations, as it goes ahead with its reforms after an emphatic victory in Bihar Assembly polls. This is the first session after the Bihar election.

The alliance, however, was on the back foot after it decided not to go ahead with its proposed Constitution amendment bill, envisaged to grant more powers to the President to directly legislate in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

As many as 50 leaders of 36 political parties attended the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the session.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president and Union Minister J P Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and his two deputies Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan, attended the meeting.

Rijiju said the House must be allowed to function and BAC would decide the agenda for both houses.

“This is the winter session of Parliament and everyone should think and conduct themselves with a cool mind,” he told reporters after the two-hour long meeting.

“Parliament should not be stalled and it should function smoothly. The Government will keep discussing with all parties to ensure smooth functioning of the House,” he said.

He said though there are differences among political parties, the SIR is not the only issue as several leaders have raised other matters.

“But, if we decide not to disturb the house then productivity will rise, democracy strengthened and Parliament’s respect among people enhanced,” Rijiju said.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh termed the all-party meeting “a mere formality” and his view was echoed by Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav.

Ramesh said the 15-day session will be the shortest in Parliamentary history, as the Narendra Modi government has listed 13 bills for passage.

Yadav said the opposition would not allow the session to function if there is no discussion on the SIR issue.

CPI-M leader John Brittas said it will be the full responsibility of the government if the Parliament is disrupted.

Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee said his party was ready to cooperate in running the House provided treasury benches also cooperate.

“The government should allow a discussion on issues such as SIR. Forty persons have lost their lives conducting SIR,” Banerjee said, alleging the objective of EC is to delete votes through SIR.

Asked if they would stall Parliament, he said, “We hope good sense will prevail on the government and a discussion on SIR will be allowed.”

The Winter session of Parliament will see the government’s reform push with legislations to open up the civil nuclear sector to the private sector (The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025) and set up a Higher Education Commission of India.

The Securities Markets Code Bill (SMC), 2025, proposes to consolidate provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, Depositories Act, 1996, and Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, into a rationalised single Securities Markets Code.With Agency Inputs