Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid opposition uproar over Bihar voter rolls revision issue

The Rajya Sabha proceeding was adjourned for the day shortly after it reassembled at noon on Friday as Opposition parties started raising slogans demanding the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar.

The House will now meet at 11 am on Monday.

When it met at noon, BJP MP K Laxman started a discussion and wanted to know the details of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan from Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.


While Chouhan rose to speak, the Opposition MPs continued their protest and raised slogans demanding that the SIR exercise be stopped. Chouhan said that he wanted to answer the question as it is important and related to the welfare of farmers and women, but the Opposition didn't relent.

He said that it was the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the benefits of scientific research should reach the farmers in real time, and that's why the government started Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, tried to urge the protesting members, but when he failed to do so, he adjourned the House for the day to reassemble on Monday.

During the morning session (Zero Hour), Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he has received 28 notices under Rule 267 demanding discussion on various issues including SIR, alleged discrimination against Bengali migrant workers in other states, no elected government in Manipur and the India-UK free trade agreement.

He, however, declined all the adjournment notices, and called BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari to make his Zero Hour mention.

Opposition members started protesting against the decision of the rejection of adjournment notices.

The Chair adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon

Earlier during the Zero Hour, Harivansh had urged members to maintain discipline and decorum in the House and respect each other's right to speak when permitted by the chair.

He said that during Thursday's proceedings, it was observed that some members, while not in their designated seats, were attempting to disturb the speaker.

Citing the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) he warned members that if they wilfully obstruct members from speaking and disturb the proceedings of the House, it will tantamount to "breach of privilege" of the House.