New Delhi [India], December 3 : The INDIA bloc floor leaders will meet on Wednesday at 9:45 am in Parliament to chalk out their floor strategy.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have mounted sustained protests since the beginning of the winter session of Parliament, demanding discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which is being conducted across 12 States and Union Territories.
On Tuesday, senior leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi, joined MPs from the INDIA bloc in a demonstration outside the Makar Dwar of Parliament, demanding a discussion on SIR.
Protests over the demand for SIR discussion led to repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha on both Monday and Tuesday. The House saw adjournments till noon, 2 pm and eventually for the day on each of the first two days of the session, with Opposition members insisting on an immediate discussion on the matter. In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs staged a walkout on Tuesday over the same demand.
A resolution to the deadlock emerged on Tuesday after an all-party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that consensus had been reached to hold two structured debates: a special discussion on the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram on Monday, followed by a discussion on election reforms at 12 noon on Tuesday. He said the government remains open to debate on electoral processes and hoped normal functioning would resume.
Leaders who attended the meeting confirmed that the Lok Sabha is expected to run smoothly from Wednesday, marking a significant easing of the impasse that has overshadowed the session's opening.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed about the decisions taken at the all-party meeting.
"During the All Party Meeting Chaired by Hon'ble Speaker Lok Sabha today, it has been decided to hold discussion in Lok Sabha on 150th Anniversary of National Song 'Vande Mataram' from 12 Noon on Monday 8th Dec and discussion on Election Reforms from 12 noon on Tuesday 9th Dec," Rijiju said in a post on X.
Rijiju later told ANI that he looks forward to a "constructive" discussion.
"Election Commission reform is a larger issue. Parliament makes laws. For bigger reforms in the Election Commission and the Election process, Parliament takes up all the matters. SIR is an administrative matter which was decided by the ECI. That is why I had stated that if at all we have to discuss the Election Commission and its role, then we have to widen the scope, you can't just pick up a matter which is administrative in nature," he said.
"Since the matter has been settled by coming into an agreement for discussion and the time and the date have been finalised, I look forward to a very constructive and engaging discussion," he added.
Rijiju had earlier indicated a solution to the impasse, saying the government is ready to discuss electoral reforms.
Sources said the BAC meeting allocated 10 hours to discuss the 150 years of the Vande Mataram song. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to initiate the discussion on the 150th anniversary of the national song.
They said ten hours have also been allocated to the discussion on electoral reforms. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is likely to reply to the debate on Wednesday.