On the first day of Winter Session, Opposition walks out over SIR

The Opposition walked out of the Rajya Sabha on Monday (December 1, 2025), the fist day of the Winter Session, demanding that the Union government announce a discussion on electoral reforms. Though Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Centre is not averse to holding a discussion and sought time, the Opposition members said their demand was urgent, as about two dozen booth-level officers (BLO) had died by suicide after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began in several States.

Soon after the felicitation ceremony on the first session of Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien raised the issue and said all the Opposition parties demanded a discussion on SIR in whichever format suitable for the government. Mr. O’Brien asked the government to initiate a discussion immediately. He said Mr. Rijiju had told an all-party meeting that he would “come back” to the Opposition leader on the demand for a discussion on the electoral reforms.

At this point, Mr. Radhakrishnan sought Mr. Rijiju’s response. “Nobody is undermining any matter which was brought forth by the Opposition party in the all-party meeting or Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting. What I am saying is, it is under the consideration of the government,” Mr. Rijiju said. “... If you set a condition that it has to be taken up today itself, then it becomes difficult, because you have to give certain space,” he added.