SIR shadow over Parl winter session

New Delhi: The winter session of Parliament begins on Monday under the shadow of SIR with several parties uniting against it and threatening to stall proceedings in both Houses if a discussion is not allowed on it.

At an all-party meeting convened by the government to seek the Opposition's support for smooth functioning of Parliament, several parties raised the demand for a discussion on special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls together with issues of national security in the wake of the Delhi blast and air pollution in the national capital. Issues like foreign policy, price rise, unemployment, new labour codes and federalism amid charges that governors sitting on bills passed by state legislatures and funds of opposition-ruled states being held up were also raised and would come up during the session beginning December 1. The government, while seeking the Opposition's support, said it would continue to engage with all parties to ensure smooth functioning of the session.

At the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, the Opposition kept up its demand for a discussion on the larger issue of electoral reforms and not specifically on SIR. The government assured the opposition that it will convey its views on it soon.

The government also pushed for a discussion on Vande Mataram and 150th anniversary of its composition, but several Opposition parties, the TMC not one of them, were not enthusiastic about it.

The Rajya Sabha BAC meeting remained inconclusive and would again be held on Monday evening.

Opposition leaders said they want Parliament to function by starting a discussion on SIR at 2 pm, but the government did not agree. They said the government would be responsible for any disruption. The ruling NDA is likely to come up with 14 legislations, as it goes ahead with its reforms after an emphatic victory in Bihar Assembly polls. This is the first session after the Bihar election.

As many as 50 leaders of 36 political parties attended the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the session.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president and Union Minister J P Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and his two deputies Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan, attended it.