Govt may push bills amid din if Opposition continues SIR protest: Rijiju

The government will be compelled to press for the passage of its bills amid protests in Parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday, as the Opposition's relentless disruptions over SIR dimmed the prospects of normal functioning of the two Houses.

While the Lok Sabha saw little transaction of any listed business on Monday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned as a mark of respect for its member and former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, who passed away this morning.

Rijiju insisted that the government wants a thorough discussion in Parliament over its bills but will be compelled to push for their passage from Tuesday in "national interest" as the proposed legislations are important for governance.

 

Hitting out at the opposition parties, he said that they had agreed to a two-day discussion over the National Sports Governance Bill and National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, both of which were scheduled to be taken up together for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Monday, but they disrupted proceedings.

The Opposition has been insisting that the government agree to its demand for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar before pushing its legislative agenda through Parliament.

The minister, however, made it clear that a debate on SIR cannot take place in Parliament as the exercise is part of the Election Commission's administrative action and functioning.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, he noted, had cited a ruling by former speaker Balram Jakhar, a late Congress veteran, that Parliament cannot discuss the functioning of a constitutional body like the EC.

Parliament can discuss electoral reforms but not the EC's functioning, he said, adding that the poll watchdog has carried out SIR earlier as well.

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 Monsoon session began on July 21 as the SIR exercise in Bihar has ignited vociferous protests from opposition parties.