Parliament Sessions Disrupted by Opposition Protests Over Bihar Voter List Revision

Both houses of Parliament faced interruptions due to uproar from opposition MPs demanding a special discussion on the revision of the voter list in Bihar. Amid the chaos, the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned until Monday, August 4. Leaders from various opposition parties, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging for an immediate special discussion regarding the ongoing Special Survey (SIR) in Bihar. Meanwhile, members of the opposition Indian bloc staged a protest in front of the Makkar Gate in Parliament on Friday, insisting on a discussion.

- On Friday, the Lok Sabha's proceedings were suspended until 11 AM on Monday due to the uproar from opposition members concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. Before adjourning the session, Speaker Om Birla addressed the noisy members, stating, “The public has given you this significant opportunity; do not waste it by shouting slogans and displaying placards.” When the session resumed after a brief adjournment at 2 PM, opposition members gathered near the Speaker's podium, chanting ‘Withdraw SIR’.

- Emphasizing national security and interests, the government stated that there is no evidence of the Sultanate of Bengal group being active in Bangladesh. The so-called map of ‘Greater Bangladesh’ created by the group includes parts of India. In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also mentioned that this map was displayed at Dhaka University.

- The government announced on Friday that the new Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains have been designed with the needs of differently-abled individuals in mind. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided this information in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

- At 11 AM, when the session commenced, Deputy Chairman Harivansh presented necessary documents on the table. He noted that he received 30 notices under Rule 267, requesting immediate discussions on various issues, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, alleged harassment of women and children in Odisha, mistreatment of Bengali workers in other states, the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh, and the impact of the 25% tariffs and penalties imposed by the US on India. The Deputy Chairman stated that these notices did not conform to the prior arrangements made by the Chair, hence could not be accepted. Following the rejection of the notices, opposition members protested and created a ruckus, with some Trinamool Congress members approaching the podium to chant ‘Raise the issue on SIR’ and ‘Stop vote theft’.