Opposition pulls out former Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar's remarks to counter government over SIR debate

The Hindu

2 days ago

Countering the government's arguments against holding a debate on the ongoing special intensive revision of Bihar electoral rolls, the Opposition on Wednesday (August 6, 2025) cited former Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's remarks in the Upper House that the Parliament is entitled to discuss everything. It also referred to previous instances when debates were held on electoral reforms and functioning of the Election Commission.
The government has cited a ruling by former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar that the functioning of an autonomous body such as the Election Commission cannot be deliberated in the House.
Parliament Monsoon Session Day 12 highlights
Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to Deputy Chairman Harivansh where he quoted Mr. Dhankhar's remarks of July 21, 2023. The former Chairman had said that the Parliament is 'entitled to discuss everything under the planet with one restriction…' This restriction relates to the conduct of any judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of his ties '... except upon a motion for presenting an address to the President praying for the removal of the judge...'
Mr. Kharge claimed that the former Chairman had ruled that 'the concept of sub judice is totally misconceived'. 'You will undoubtedly appreciate that the Chair is a continuing entity. You yourself have quoted rulings given by the Chair over the past many years in support of some of your decisions. It is clear from this ruling of the Chair that the Rajya Sabha is entitled to discuss the issue of revision of electoral rolls, which is of fundamental importance in our democracy,' Mr. Kharge said in his letter.
The debate on the issue becomes urgent, because it is the first time such an exercise is being undertaken by the Election Commission and it is expected to be extended to West Bengal, Assam, and other States. The Opposition MPs have been repeatedly asking for an urgent discussion in the House from the first day of the current session, he said.
'I, therefore, on my own behalf and behalf of the Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, am writing to request you to immediately allow a discussion on this issue that is of paramount concern to crores of voters, especially those belonging to the weaker sections of the society,' Mr. Kharge said.
The Chair in the Rajya Sabha is a continuing entity in spite of the comings to and the goings from it - both scheduled and unscheduled.
Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman gave a ruling that because the Lok Sabha Speaker had said so on Dec 14, 1988, any matter concerning the Election… pic.twitter.com/b4qtATczx3 — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 6, 2025
Press conference
The Opposition INDIA bloc parties also addressed a press conference at Vijay Chowk reiterating their demand for a debate on SIR exercise. The Aam Aadmi Party, which recently declared that it was no longer part of the bloc, was also part of the press conference.
At the press conference, Mr. Kharge claimed that minorities, Dalits, and adivasis were facing the risk of losing their voting rights. 'INDIA bloc parties want discussion in Parliament on special intensive revision of (SIR) electoral rolls in Bihar but the government is unwilling,' the Congress president said.
'We have been urging the Speaker, Chairman, and the government again and again that the voting rights of people should not be stolen.... That is what is happening in the SIR exercise,' he said.
Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose said they will continue protests inside and outside Parliament over the SIR issue. DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said they will take the message to the people on what is happening in Parliament. 'Having full trust in this temple of democracy, we are insisting on a debate on SIR. On that basis, the EC, by way of revising electoral rolls, is disqualifying many from having voting rights,' he said.
John Brittas of the CPI(M) said, 'Voters list is the cornerstone of a democracy, if it is manipulated, the very essence of democracy will be corrupted. Anything that concerns the democracy of a country needs to be debated in Parliament.'
AAP leader Sandeep Pathak noted that half of the Monsoon Session had been washed out and the blame lay at the government's door as it has been shying away from such an important debate. He said it was impossible to procure the documents needed for the SIR in the timeline set by the poll officials.
Previous instances
Earlier, Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, in a post on X, listed out previous instances when electoral reforms and functioning of the Election Commission were debated in Parliament — in 1961, the Rajya Sabha held a debate on amendments to the Conduct of Elections Rules; in 1991, the Upper House debated the urgent need to amend the existing election laws; in 2015 a Calling Attention Motion was moved by Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad on proxy and e-postal voting for NRIs; and in 2019, a short-duration discussion was held on electoral reforms.
'There is ample precedent. The government must not delay the long overdue and essential discussion on electoral reforms,' Mr. Gogoi said. The Opposition has said that the government should allow for a debate on electoral reforms in Parliament.