Rijiju Defends Election Commission Amidst Parliamentary Stalemate
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the Election Commission from Parliament discussions, citing former Speaker Balram Jakhar's ruling. Opposition parties are protesting the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming bias towards the ruling BJP. Rijiju stressed that parliamentary discussion on EC's work is subject to Chair approval.
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On Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju invoked a ruling by former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar to justify why Parliament cannot debate the functioning of the Election Commission. The current parliamentary session faced obstructions as Opposition members demanded a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Rijiju emphasized that the authority to initiate such a discussion lies with the chairs of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Government sources indicated reluctance to address the Opposition's demands, which have united various parties against the ruling BJP. The contention revolves around the assertion that the Election Commission's SIR is influenced by the government.
The Opposition accused the Election Commission of manipulating electoral rolls to favor the BJP, leading to continuous disruptions in Parliament. Rijiju criticized the Opposition for halting parliamentary proceedings, arguing that significant resources are wasted due to the deadlock. The debate is set to continue in upcoming sessions.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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