New Delhi, Aug 8: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the entire day today following repeated disruptions by Opposition members over the Election Commission’s special intensive voter list revision in Bihar and other issues.
The uproar began during Question Hour when Deputy Chairman Harivansh declined to admit 20 notices submitted under Rule 267 for suspension of business. “It appears it is being used as a tool to create disorder,” he said.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, proceedings were adjourned till 12 pm after Opposition members, led by the Congress, consistently disrupted the House with their demand for a debate on the voter list revision and several other matters. When the House reassembled at noon, the protests continued. Some members sought to raise point of order during the commotion, but Presiding Deputy Chairman Ghanshyam Tiwari reminded them that such points cannot be raised during Question Hour and urged them to allow proceedings to continue.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari attempted to raise a matter of propriety, but the Chair disallowed it. The Deputy Chairman also took note of some members entering the House wearing badges, reminding them of the Chair’s earlier ruling that no member should do so, and urged adherence to parliamentary traditions.
As BJP MP Aditya Prasad’s name was called to ask a listed question, the ruckus intensified. Railway and Food Processing Industries Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu rose to respond but was unable to proceed due to the continuous disruption. When he sought to criticise the Opposition, the Chair did not permit it. With the protests continuing, the House was adjourned for the day.
Earlier, during Zero Hour, the House observed a minute’s silence to pay tribute to freedom fighters on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement of August 9, 1942. Harivansh noted that the 20 notices under Rule 267 received for the day covered five different subjects, and cited a 2021 ruling by then Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on the matter. He pointed out that members from the same party were submitting notices on multiple subjects, making it impossible to take up all for discussion simultaneously.
While some Opposition members were allowed to speak briefly on the issue, their remarks were not included in the proceedings when they deviated from the topic. The Chair then adjourned the House till noon, after which the deadlock persisted and the sitting was suspended for the rest of the day.
