New Delhi [India], August 6 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday questioned Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman for quashing discussion on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, while referring to the ruling of former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar in 1998.

Jairam Ramesh argued that the Deputy Chairman subjectively used the ruling of Balram Jakhar to dismiss the discussion on SIR and questioned why he 'willfully ignored' the recent ruling of Rajya Sabha chairman in which he stated, as Jairam Ramesh pointed, that Rajya Sabha is entitled to discuss anything under the planet except only the conduct of any judge.

Taking to X, Jairam Ramesh said, 'The Chair in the Rajya Sabha is a continuing entity in spite of the comings to and the goings from it - both scheduled and unscheduled. Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman gave a ruling that because the Lok Sabha Speaker had said so on Dec 14, 1988, any matter concerning the Election Commission cannot be discussed in Parliament.'

'But on July 21, 2023, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha--a Modi appointee--had categorically ruled that 'the Rajya Sabha is entitled to discuss anything under the planet with only one restriction.' He had gone on to say that the 'only one restriction' related to the conduct of any judge except on a motion related to his removal. The then-Chairman had added that the concept of sub-judice was totally misconceived,' he added.

https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1952936522287857945

Jairam Ramesh further demanded the discussion on SIR while referring to as 'votebandi and votechori'

'The Opposition is constantly reminded that Parliament runs on the basis of rulings and conventions. Why is the Rajya Sabha Chairman's ruling of July 21, 2023, being so wilfully ignored? The Opposition's demand for a discussion on the votebandi and votechori - being orchestrated by G2 through the Election Commission in Bihar & to be followed in West Bengal, Assam, and other states - is non-negotiable in both Houses of Parliament,' he said.

Meanwhile, INDIA bloc leaders are set to hold a meeting today in the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) office in Parliament to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the house.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has sparked a political row, with the opposition INDIA bloc alleging that the revision process could lead to the deletion of a large number of voters.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have witnessed repeated adjournments over the opposition's insistence on a discussion on the SIR exercise in poll-bound Bihar.

Congress MP KC Venugopal said, 'We are protesting against SIR inside and outside Parliament. The Election Commission is systematically targeting the democratic values of this country. We expected neutrality from the Election Commission, but they are not doing so. The names of many voters have been excluded from the list in Bihar. How can a fair democracy run like this? We are going to reveal the serious malpractices of the Election Commission in Bengaluru on August 5'. (ANI)