The fourth day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Thursday witnessed yet another round of disruptions, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 p.m. following vociferous protests by Opposition members over the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
As the Lok Sabha convened at 11 am, Opposition MPs raised slogans and staged a noisy protest, demanding a debate on the Election Commission’s SIR initiative.
Speaker Om Birla repeatedly appealed for order, but the protests continued, forcing him to suspend proceedings early.
This marks the fourth consecutive day of disruptions in Parliament, with the Opposition pressing for discussions not only on the Bihar voter verification drive but also on the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Before the adjournment, Birla urged Opposition members to maintain decorum, saying the conduct in the House was falling short of expectations.
In the Rajya Sabha, a similar scene unfolded as the Deputy Chairman, Harivansh, attempted to proceed with Question Hour. Opposition parties raised slogans, leading to adjournment until 2 p.m.
Harivansh also rejected around 30 adjournment notices from Opposition MPs on various issues, including the “unexpected resignation” of Rajya Sabha Chairman and former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Despite the chaos, the Upper House witnessed Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, known for handling the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial, take oath as a Rajya Sabha member.
Nikam was among four individuals recently nominated to the House by the President under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution. The others include former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, historian Meenakshi Jain, and RSS leader Sadanandan Master, filling vacancies left by retiring nominated members.
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the protest at Makar Dwar. Priyanka was seen holding a placard that read, “Democracy in Danger.”
Opposition leaders have alleged that the SIR exercise unfairly targets marginalised groups and migrant populations, calling it an attempt at “institutional voter cleansing.” Congress MP Manickam Tagore submitted an adjournment motion under Rule 56, describing the EC’s move as “unconstitutional” and an attack on the fundamental right to vote.
Outside Parliament, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh echoed these concerns, claiming that residents from Bihar and Purvanchal living in Delhi are being harassed and disenfranchised.
On Wednesday, both Houses of Parliament had been adjourned multiple times before being suspended for the day.
(With inputs from agencies)