SIR Showdown: INDIA Bloc Gears Up for Protest Outside Parliament

The Winter Session of Parliament is set to witness fresh protests on its second day as Opposition MPs prepare to demonstrate against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in several states.

Leaders of the INDIA bloc will hold a protest outside the Makar Dwar of Parliament at 10:30 am, just before the House begins its proceedings. They are demanding that the government allow a full discussion on the voter list revision process, which they claim is affecting the voting rights of citizens.

On the first day of the session, the Lok Sabha was adjourned several times after Opposition members raised slogans and demanded a debate on the issue. According to Congress MP Manickam Tagore, the Opposition had agreed to make the SIR one of its main concerns during this session.

He claimed that a large number of voters, around 62 lakh in Bihar alone, have reportedly been removed from electoral rolls, and that similar work has now started in 12 states and Union Territories.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also questioned the way the exercise is being carried out. He said that earlier, officials used to visit homes and collect necessary details. Now, people are being asked to fill out forms and provide proof of citizenship, which he compared to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “This is not how SIR was done in the past,” he said.

The BJP, however, dismissed the Opposition’s allegations and accused them of trying to disrupt Parliament. Party MP Aparajita Sarangi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked all MPs to work constructively instead of creating disturbances. She added that the Opposition should focus on introspection after their recent election setbacks instead of raising what she called “baseless issues” in Parliament.

While protests continue outside the House, the government is expected to present the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha today. The bill, to be moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, proposes an increase in excise duty and cess on tobacco products.

With tensions running high, another stormy day in Parliament appears likely.

Also Read: Centre to Move Bill Revising Excise Rates on Tobacco Products