Opposition's demand for discussion on votebandi non-negotiable: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the ''votebandi'' by the Election Commission is ''non-negotiable'' in both Houses of Parliament.

There has been a logjam in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which the Opposition has alleged is being done to cut votes ahead of the state election. Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the Chair in the Rajya Sabha is a continuing entity despite the comings and goings, scheduled and unscheduled. ''Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman gave a ruling that because the Lok Sabha Speaker had said so on December 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','' Ramesh said in a post on X.

''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,'' the Congress leader pointed out.

He said the Opposition is constantly reminded that Parliament runs on rulings and conventions ''Why is the Rajya Sabha Chairman's ruling of July 21, 2023, being so wilfully ignored?'' Ramesh said.

''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.

The Opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, alleging the EC's exercise was aimed at ''disenfranchising voters'' in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday had dared the government to debate the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar and claimed that the fact that the House is not being able to run smoothly is a manifestation of the ruling side's weakness.

Her remarks came amid the logjam in Parliament due to vociferous protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Several MPs of the INDIA bloc parties have also been staging a protest in the Parliament House complex on the issue.

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