The Day In Parliament: Protests, Detention and Passing Bills

On Monday, Parliament witnessed intense opposition protests demanding a debate on Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls amid allegations of vote manipulation. Opposition MPs faced detention during their march to the Election Commission, sparking widespread criticism. Meanwhile, key legislative developments included the passage of the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, and bills related to income tax and tribal reservations, highlighting a day of both political unrest and significant parliamentary activity.

Highlights of today’s Parliament session:

• On Monday, the Lok Sabha saw loud protests from opposition parties demanding a debate on Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and related issues.
• When the House reconvened at 11 am after the weekend break, opposition MPs, including Congress members, rose, chanting slogans and holding placards.
• Speaker Om Birla initially tried to continue with Question Hour, allowing members to raise questions on the Ministry of Environment and Forests despite the protests.
• After around ten minutes, Birla said opposition members had been "systematically disrupting" House proceedings for 14 days with their protests. The opposition is demanding a discussion on the Election Commission’s SIR exercise ahead of Bihar’s assembly elections later this year.
• Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha also began in chaos, with opposition MPs protesting alleged irregularities in Bihar’s SIR of electoral rolls.
• Shortly after the official papers were presented, opposition members began shouting slogans and moved into the aisles and the well of the House, leading to its adjournment.
• Deputy Chairman Harivansh rejected 29 notices invoking Rule 267, which allows suspending scheduled business to address urgent matters raised by members.

'Vote Chori' protest: 

•  As opposition MPs chanted slogans accusing “vote chori” (electoral theft) through the SIR, Harivansh urged the House to proceed with the scheduled Zero Hour for members to raise public issues.
•  Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the Election Commission of India is so exposed that it will be difficult for it to hide.
• Earlier, around 300 Opposition MPs, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attempted to march from Parliament House to the Election Commission to meet officials.
• The MPs were stopped before reaching the Election Commission. Many MPs sat on the road and raised slogans against the Government and the Election Commission.
•  Police then escorted the MPs onto buses lined up along the road. They were taken to the Parliament Street Police Station.
• All MPs were released later.

Fight for truth and votes, says Rahul Gandhi

• After being released from detention, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament, “Look at the state of India’s democracy. Three hundred MPs wanted to meet the Election Commission to submit a document, but they were denied access. They are afraid. What if 300 MPs come together and expose the truth?” He added, “This fight is no longer political. It is a fight for the Constitution and the principle of One Man One Vote. We have clearly shown in Karnataka that it has become Multiple Man, Multiple Votes. The entire opposition is united against this, and it will be very difficult for the Election Commission to hide the truth now.”
• Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expressed his “heartfelt thanks” to all INDIA bloc MPs “for standing shoulder to shoulder and fighting with full strength in this movement against vote theft.” He added in an X post, “As I said, this fight is not political, it is for the protection of democracy, the Constitution, and the right to vote, and together, we will achieve it.”

Police Tear Clothes of Woman MP: Sagarika Ghose

• TMC MP Sagarika Ghose alleged that women MPs were pushed, shoved, and dragged by their hair during their detention by Delhi police on August 11, while protesting against Bihar’s SIR and vote theft allegations. She also accused authorities of mistreating the women MPs during the incident. Ghose, and other MPs were also among those detained by the police. The detained MPs were corralled into a bus to be taken to the Parliament Street police station. She posted on X: “A united Opposition on the streets against #VoteChori. Amazing energy, united resolve. Power to the people! Women MPs were shoved and pushed today during our peaceful protest against #VoteChori. Vote chor, gaddi chhor! #votechoriexposed #VoteChori”
• Parliament approved the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 on Monday.
• BJP MP and 'One Nation One Election' JPC chairperson PP Chaudhary arrived at the Parliament Annexe building for a Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting.
• Experts attending the meeting include Prof. Sushma Yadava from Central University of Haryana, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, former Rajya Sabha member, Prof. Sheila Rai from Rashtriya Samaj Vigyan Parishad, and Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta of Gauhati University.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters, “Today it became clear that Rahul Gandhi and all Opposition MPs do not want a discussion or to allow the Election Commission to perform its constitutional duties. They are not against the SIR but want illegal migrants to vote. To cover up their lies, they are staging this drama. The Election Commission called 30 MPs, but they failed to select them.”
• 14. Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in the House, highlighting how Opposition MPs from both Houses were prevented from reaching the Election Commission.
• 15. Responding to a question about the Election Commission issuing him a notice and asking for a complaint affidavit under oath, Rahul Gandhi retorted, questioning why he needed to submit an affidavit when he had only cited ECI data. He suggested the Commission verify the information on its own website.
• 16. Expressing regret over the Election Commission’s refusal to meet Opposition MPs, Rahul Gandhi said, “Look at the state of democracy in India. 300 MPs want to meet the Election Commission, but they are denied access.” He added, “This is because the Election Commission is afraid of the truth.”
• Addressing the nationwide concern over electoral malpractices following his expose, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha declared, “This is no longer a political fight; it is a fight to save the soul of the country and protect the Constitution.”
• He emphasized that, according to the Constitution, each person has the right to one vote. “We have clearly demonstrated that the principle of 'one person, one vote' no longer exists; instead, there are individuals with multiple votes and many others with many votes.”
• Gandhi said the youth of the country have become aware of this truth. “Now it will be difficult for the Election Commission to hide,” he remarked. He added that the Opposition demands a clean and accurate voters’ list.
• 20. Arguing that the data belonged to the Election Commission, Gandhi said, “This is not my data that requires me to sign an affidavit. The Election Commission should publish the data on its website and verify it themselves.” He added that these actions are merely attempts to divert attention from the real issue. “This hasn’t happened only in Bengaluru but in many constituencies,” he said, adding that the Election Commission is aware that the data they are trying to conceal will eventually be exposed.
• 21. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the modified Income Tax Bill in the Lok Sabha, incorporating "almost all of the recommendations of the Select Committee." Presenting the Income-Tax (No. 2) Bill, 2025, Sitharaman stated that the bill aims to consolidate and amend income tax laws and will replace the Income Tax Act of 1961.
• 22. the Rajya Sabha returned the Manipur Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025, and the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
• 23. Congress MP Ajay Maken described their detention during the protest march to the Election Commission office as "undemocratic." He told reporters, "The Election Commission is not providing us with the voters' list. It is not informing the Supreme Court about how and why voters are being deleted or why new voters are not being added. While the Election Commission is hiding these facts, we are being arrested simply for seeking a meeting. This is undemocratic."
• On Monday, Parliament passed a bill granting reservation to certain Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Goa Assembly.
• Additionally, the Lok Sabha approved the Income-Tax (No. 2) Bill, 2025, and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Also Read: Protesting 'Vote Chori': Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka & Others Detained in Delhi