Opposition Leaders Protest SIR at Parliament, Demand Debate on Electoral Reforms

Several Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament on Tuesday over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding a discussion on electoral reforms during the Winter Session.

Protest at Parliament House

The leaders gathered in the Parliament House complex, holding posters and placards against the SIR. A large banner read: “Stop SIR – Stop Vote Chori.” Slogans were raised against the government, with prominent participants including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, DMK’s K. Kanhimozhi, and T.R. Baalu. The protest took place in front of Parliament’s Makar Dwar, drawing media attention.

The first day of the Winter Session witnessed repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha and an Opposition walkout in the Rajya Sabha, triggered by demands for a debate on the SIR. The government maintained that it is not opposed to discussion but cannot commit to a fixed timeline.

Prime Minister’s Remarks

Ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Opposition for turning Parliament into a “warm-up arena” for elections or a space to vent post-election frustrations. He suggested that the Opposition could focus on bringing positivity into politics, remarks that added to the tensions during the session.

Context

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic exercise aimed at updating electoral rolls to ensure accurate voter lists. Opposition leaders, however, have expressed concerns that the process may exclude eligible voters, triggering widespread debate on transparency and electoral reforms ahead of upcoming elections.