The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi: Opposition MPs are set to continue their agitation against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll as Parliament convenes for the second day of the Winter Session. Members of the INDIA bloc will stage a protest outside Parliament’s Makar Dwar at 10:30 am, ahead of the day’s proceedings.
On Monday, the opening day of the session, the Lok Sabha saw repeated adjournments—till noon, 2 pm, and eventually for the day—after opposition members demanded a discussion on the SIR exercise currently underway in 12 states and Union territories.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the opposition is united in seeking a debate on electoral reforms and the SIR process. “The INDIA Alliance decided that we will push for a discussion on SIR and election-related reforms. Today at 10:30 am, we will protest outside the Makar Dwar, demanding the same. All MPs will participate,” he said.
Tagore stressed that the issue concerns citizens’ fundamental right to vote. “I have submitted agenda motions and hope they are accepted. The government cannot avoid debating such an important matter. In Bihar, 62 lakh voters have been removed, and now the process has been rolled out in 12 states. Many BLOs are under extreme pressure, and some have even died by suicide. This is about protecting India’s democracy,” he added.
On Monday, Congress MP Digvijaya Singh also criticised the SIR, alleging that the current procedure resembles the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rather than a voter roll update. “Earlier SIRs were simple—BLOs visited homes, collected information, and added voters. Now we must fill forms and prove our citizenship. This is not SIR; this is CAA,” he said, adding that the Congress needs to strengthen its grassroots work.
Responding to the Opposition’s protests and sloganeering in Parliament, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark calling the protests “drama” was justified. She warned the INDIA bloc that continuing disruptions over “baseless issues” could result in electoral setbacks similar to their recent defeat in Bihar. “The PM urged MPs to participate constructively in discussions, but the opposition chose disruption instead,” she said.
Meanwhile, the government is scheduled to move the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha today. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the bill, which seeks to amend the Central Excise Act to increase excise duties and cess on tobacco products.
