NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party has warned that it will not allow Parliament to run smoothly during the Winter Session if a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is not placed on the agenda. The strong remarks came on Sunday after an all-party meeting convened by the government on the eve of the session.
SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said the government must agree to a formal discussion on the revision exercise, known as SIR, which is being undertaken by the Election Commission across several states and Union Territories. He asserted that the issue cannot be avoided, particularly at a time when concerns have been raised over the conduct and timeline of the revision process. “We will not allow the House to function if discussion is not held on SIR,” Yadav said, emphasising that accountability and clarity are essential when an exercise of such scale is under way. He added that the government “cannot shy away” from addressing procedural questions linked to voter verification and roll updates.
His statement reflects growing pressure from the opposition, which has been demanding detailed deliberations on the SIR exercise during the Winter Session. Several parties have argued that the process requires greater transparency due to the involvement of ground-level officials and the potential impact on voter inclusion.
The government has not yet indicated whether it will allocate time for the discussion, stating earlier that the session’s agenda will be determined by the Business Advisory Committee. The Winter Session begins on Monday and is scheduled to continue until 19 December.
