Overview

• On August 9, Congress whip Manickam Tagore challenged Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over the government’s refusal to allow any debate on the Election Commission’s functioning in both Houses
• Parliament has been adjourned for 13 consecutive days without scheduling a discussion on the Commission’s role in Bihar’s SIR exercise
• Tagore cited parliamentary records dating back to 1957 showing repeated debates on the Commission’s conduct, electoral reforms, poll postponements and use of money power
• The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise removed more than 6.5 million names from Bihar’s voter rolls ahead of state elections
• Opposition leaders in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc argue that blocking debate undermines accountability and transparency in India’s electoral system