Parliament adjourned till 2 pm amid Opposition protests over SIR

Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned on Tuesday morning, 19 August, shortly after convening, as Opposition members pressed for a discussion on alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

In the Lok Sabha, the House met at 11 am with speaker Om Birla announcing that parliamentary proceedings would now be translated into all 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. He urged members to cooperate in running the House smoothly.

However, as soon as he finished, Opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, rose in protest, shouting slogans and displaying placards demanding a debate on the SIR issue. Despite attempts to continue with Question Hour, the din forced the Speaker to adjourn proceedings till 2pm.

In the Rajya Sabha, the uproar began moments after listed official papers were tabled. Opposition MPs trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans over the Bihar revision exercise.

Deputy chairman Harivansh rejected 20 notices submitted under Rule 267 — which seeks suspension of scheduled business to discuss pressing issues — saying the notices related to four subjects but none met the prescribed criteria. Attempts to take up Zero Hour were drowned out, and with protests persisting, the House was adjourned until 2 pm.

Since the Monsoon Session began on 21 July, Parliament has witnessed repeated disruptions, first over the Opposition’s demand for a debate on Operation Sindoor, and now over the Election Commission’s SIR exercise in Bihar, which is being conducted ahead of assembly polls.

With PTI inputs