logo
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition presses for discussion on SIR

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition presses for discussion on SIR

News1812-08-2025
New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) Rajya Sabha proceedings on Tuesday were adjourned till the post-lunch session within minutes of its assembly, as Opposition MPs insisted on a discussion be taken up on the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Soon after listed official papers were laid on the table of the House, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he has rejected all 21 notices that invoked Rule 267, which allows suspension of listed business to discuss matters being raised in them.
Without indicating the subject, he said the notices were received on four different subjects but none of them contained a motion drawn in a proper manner.
As many as 11 notices sought discussion on a matter which is sub judice, he said.
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions filed against SIR.
Tiruchi Siva of DMK cited the rule book to say that the ruling of the Chair is supreme and urged him to take up discussion on subjects listed in the Rule 267 notice.
Even before he could finish, Harivansh cut him, saying he had not admitted any of the notices as they were not in accordance with the rules.
Derek O'Brien of TMC objected to listing for discussion and passage of two important taxation legislations — Income-Tax (No 2) Bill and Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill – in the supplementary list of business for the day, which was circulated just before start of the House proceedings.
Describing the bills as 'very crucial," he said the government was making a 'mockery of parliament" in the manner in which legislations containing more than 500 clauses were listed.
He then went on to state that the Leader of the Opposition and other leaders of opposition parties are all in agreement that the issue of SIR can be discussed through a motion drafted in whatever language the government wants.
Harivansh cut him short and called for listed Zero Hour mentions.
As Opposition MPs rose on their seats and pressed with their demand for a discussion, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. PTI ANZ DRR
view comments
First Published:
August 12, 2025, 11:45 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Breaking News Live August 20: Canada's Poilievre wins by-election, returns to parliament
Breaking News Live August 20: Canada's Poilievre wins by-election, returns to parliament

Time of India

time24 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Breaking News Live August 20: Canada's Poilievre wins by-election, returns to parliament

00:55 (IST) Aug 20 India News Live: Govt to bring bills for removal of PM, Union minister, CMs held on serious criminal charges The government will on Wednesday introduce three bills in Parliament to provide a legal framework for the removal of prime minister, a Union minister, chief minister, or a minister in a state/Union territory if they are arrested or detained on serious criminal charges. The proposed legislations are: Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Centre to introduce law to prohibit real money gaming firms, official says
Centre to introduce law to prohibit real money gaming firms, official says

The Hindu

time24 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Centre to introduce law to prohibit real money gaming firms, official says

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) approved a Bill to effectively prohibit real money games (RMGs) online, a multi-billion dollar industry that counts fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11 and card game apps, including PokerBaazi. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 is now headed to Parliament and is likely to be tabled on Wednesday. The move was not telegraphed in any public way by the government before the Cabinet approved it, with no draft Bill circulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, as has been done for a number of notifications and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. A copy of the Bill viewed by The Hindu lays out a broad definition for 'online money gaming,' targeting a vast swath of RMGs in one fell swoop. Under this definition, 'depositing money or other stakes in expectation of winning which entails monetary and other enrichment in return of money or other stakes' comes under online money gaming, and is prohibited. Industry associations representing RMG firms did not have a comment to offer on the proposal and indicated that they would respond formally when the Bill is released upon its tabling in Parliament. The firms maintain extensive contacts with government officials and have resisted the government's previous attempts to regulate them. For instance, in the months leading up to the GST Council's decision to increase the tax applicable on RMG deposits, the industry registered its opposition on multiple fronts. At the State level, industry bodies and individual firms have successfully obtained stays on bans on their operation, such as in Karnataka. Those legal victories rested on a critical distinction between games of skill and games of chance, with only the latter being recognised by courts as gambling, which is a State subject in the Constitution. Now, that distinction may present an existential threat instead of a lifeline to the industry, as online gaming has been brought under the administrative authority of the IT Ministry, which will enforce this prohibition. Under a 2023 amendment to the IT Rules, 2021, the government sought to bring the industry under self-regulation, with oversight by an independent committee to address complaints. However, no self-regulatory bodies (SRBs) were approved by the government under that amendment, with officials questioning proposed SRBs' independence from the firms they were supposed to be overseeing. The Bill creates a carve-out for the e-sports industry, essentially allowing video game tournaments that collect entry fees to continue doing so without falling afoul of the RMG prohibition.

Will vehemently oppose SIR in Odisha, if Bihar approach adopted, says BJD
Will vehemently oppose SIR in Odisha, if Bihar approach adopted, says BJD

The Hindu

time24 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Will vehemently oppose SIR in Odisha, if Bihar approach adopted, says BJD

The Biju Janata Dal announced on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) it will oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) scheduled in Odisha next month if the Election Commission of India (ECI) adopts the same approach as Bihar, where genuine voters were allegedly disenfranchised due to hasty processes and inadequate time The BJD was responding to Election Commission of India, which invited the regional party for its suggestion to improve election process. Amar Patnaik, former Rajya Sabha member, raised the issue of SIR with the Election Commission and said that the BJD will vehemently oppose its implementation if it follows the same approach as adopted in Bihar. 'The SIR should be conducted with the right objective of improving transparency in the electoral process, with active involvement of all stakeholders. No eligible voter should be disenfranchised under the pretext of removing ineligible voters from the electoral roll,' the party delegation told ECI. The BJD said it will chalk out its plan over the issues depending upon the response of the ECI and may take the agitational programme if the genuine issues are not addressed, the party said. The delegation led by Debi Prasad Mishra, senior party vice president, reiterated its objection to the unexplained and unusual variances in the number of votes polled and counted, the discrepancies between MP and MLA segment votes counted, and the sudden increase in polling percentage after 5 p.m. during the last simultaneous general and assembly elections in 2024. The party had earlier formally given memorandum to ECI on this issue in December 2024. The party also raised the issue of non-receipt of Form 17C, despite repeated efforts from local election officers to the apex level. According a statement issued by BJD, the Election Commission expressed surprise and acknowledged that Form 17C should have been provided. The BJD presented its findings to ECI, highlighting how the available data indicates voting irregularities and raised concerns regarding the integrity, legitimacy, and impartiality of the electoral process. 'Regarding the preparation of electoral rolls, the delegation suggested improvements with a focus on ensuring that no legal voter is disenfranchised, especially migrants and temporary workers,' the party said. 'Since NRIs are entitled to register their names in the electoral roll in their native constituencies in India as per the provisions of Section 20A(1-C) a harsh view should not be taken against migrant and temporary workers working outside Odisha,' Mr. Mishra pointed out. 'Doing so may lead to socio-cultural disharmony in their native villages if they are deprived of voting rights,' he said. According to BJD, the ECI assured that it would provide a longer period and more opportunities for enrolment.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store