Parliament session highlights: Chaotic INDIA bloc protest see MPs faint; both Houses adjourned amid Oppn sloganeering

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP SC chief Sharad Pawar, joined the protest after being stopped from marching to the Election Commission. Kharge stated that the INDIA coalition allies will expose the BJP’s conspiracy to undermine the Constitution.

The protest march, led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, began at the Makar Dwar of Parliament. MPs were marching to demand that the Election Commission address their concerns over alleged “voter theft.”

As the MPs chanted slogans of “vote chor” while moving towards the poll body’s office at Nirvachan Sadan, police intervened and stopped them. Delhi Police said the MPs had not sought permission for the march.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said, "Permission has been granted for 30 MPs. We will escort them to the Election Commission of India once we receive their names." Earlier, the Election Commission requested the submission of names and vehicle details for up to 30 individuals due to space constraints.

On Monday, INDIA bloc MPs staged a protest march against the Election Commission, objecting to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "voter fraud" in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi Police were seen blocking the MPs, who raised slogans of "vote chor," as they attempted to proceed towards the poll body’s office at Nirvachan Sadan.

The march commenced from Parliament's Makar Dwar, led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, with the MPs demanding the Election Commission address their concerns regarding the alleged "voter theft."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Congress General Secretary and MP KC Venugopal said, "The police and government is not allowing us to march for even 30 seconds. They want to stop us here. What democracy is there in the country. MPs don't have the freedom to go to the Election Commission. Now they are telling only 30 people can come, but at least allow those 30 people to head to the Election Commission office..."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and others assisted TMC MP Mitali Bagh after she fainted during the opposition protest and subsequent police detention. On Monday, opposition MPs including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar marched from Parliament House towards the Election Commission headquarters to protest the voter roll revision in Bihar but were halted by police at Transport Bhawan.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: After being detained by Delhi Police, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala stated, "Will prison bars stop Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition? 'Ab ek hi naara hai – Bol raha hai poora desh, vote hamara choo ke dekh'... The people have rejected the alliance between the Modi government and the Election Commission." When police prevented the MPs from advancing, many sat on the road, chanting slogans against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and allegations of 'vote chori.'

The MPs held posters and raised their voices demanding the rollback of the SIR exercise.

Wearing white caps marked with a red cross over the words 'SIR' and 'vote chori,' the protesters carried placards and banners condemning the SIR process in Bihar.

Prior to beginning their march from Parliament’s Makar Dwar, the MPs sang the national anthem.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Police have detained INDIA bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, along with others, as they protested against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and marched from Parliament to the Election Commission of India.

Opposition MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar, took out a march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters here on Monday to protest against the voter roll revision in Bihar.

However, they were stopped by police midway at Transport Bhawan.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Amid the Opposition leaders' march to the Election Commission protesting Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated, "As long as there are doubts in the minds of people about the fairness of the elections, that is harming the credibility of the Election Commission. As long as those doubts are removed, then the Election Commission's credibility can be regained. The Election Commission's own interest lies in addressing these questions."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shouted slogans as INDIA bloc leaders marched from Parliament to the Election Commission of India, protesting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and claims of "voter fraud" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, joined fellow INDIA bloc members as they marched from Parliament to the Election Commission of India. The protest is against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "voter fraud" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a police barricade as Delhi Police blocked INDIA bloc leaders from marching from Parliament to the Election Commission of India. The protest was against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "voter fraud" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav stated that Members of Parliament do not require permission to walk on the streets of Delhi. The INDIA bloc MPs had begun their march from Parliament to the Election Commission to protest the SIR and alleged voter fraud.

Yadav told ANI on Monday, "MPs don't need permission to walk on the streets of Delhi... If there is any kind of threat from the MPs coming out on the roads, then the system is useless..."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: The Election Commission has asked for the names of up to 30 individuals from the protesting Opposition leaders, along with their vehicle details, for the scheduled interaction due to space constraints.

The Commission has approved an appointment for a meeting at 12 pm on Monday, following a request from the Congress Party.

In a letter addressed to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, the Election Commission’s secretariat stated that the request had been considered and an interaction appointment granted.

This appointment was made in response to Jairam Ramesh’s request submitted on "behalf of certain political parties."

The letter does not specify the agenda for the meeting.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Delhi Police prevented INDIA bloc leaders from marching from Parliament to the Election Commission of India to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "voter fraud" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, Opposition MPs had begun their protest march from Parliament to the EC office opposing the voter roll revision in Bihar. On Monday, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticised the Election Commission and likened the INDIA bloc’s protest march to Mahatma Gandhi’s historic Dandi march.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Amid Opposition leaders' protest against Election Commission over Bihar SIR, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said, "Questions are being raised on our democracy. In UP, by-elections were held on 10 Vidhan Sabha seats; not only were votes stolen, but booths were captured. Why didn't the Election Commission take action against the officers who were working on orders of the state government."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar to march to the Election Commission, protesting the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls and alleging voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Proceedings began amid ongoing Opposition protests over the SIR row, with JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha stating, "SIR is happening only in Bihar. I come from Bihar and I have been among the people. It is not considered an issue there, then why are these people creating a hue and cry here? People of Bihar are happy with this exercise being done by the Election Commission... I don't think there can be anything more transparent than this. It is an issue in Delhi, not in Bihar... They cannot say anything and get away with it... If the Election Commission is asking for proof and in writing, why don't they give it in writing? Do they consider themselves above the laws of the land?..."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Both Houses were adjourned till 2 pm following Opposition protests over the SIR row and demands for a parliamentary discussion. Earlier in the day, security was tightened and barricades were placed outside Transport Bhawan as INDIA bloc MPs planned a march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters.

The protest targets the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and what the Opposition calls “voter fraud” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Proceedings in LS, RS begin amid Opposition protests over SIR row

The INDIA bloc on Monday announced a protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission office against the special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

At a press conference, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were “filling out fake forms” in a single room, while announcing the march plans.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police said the Opposition parties had not sought permission for the proposed march.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: The Election Commission of India has scheduled an interaction at 12 pm on Monday following a request from the Congress Party.

In a letter to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, the Commission’s secretariat said it had “considered the request and decided to grant an appointment for an interaction.”

The letter notes that the request was made by Ramesh on “behalf of certain political parties.”

Due to limited space, the Commission has asked for the names of up to 30 attendees along with their vehicle numbers.

The letter does not specify the agenda of the meeting.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: After inaugurating new flats for MPs in Delhi, PM Narendra Modi said, "Our MPs will face no issues in the new residences and will be able to focus more on their work... In these multi-storey buildings, more than 180 MPs will live together... Like I previously said, the rent of the ministries functioning from rented buildings would cost the government nearly ₹1,500 crores annually... Similarly, the government expenses were very high in the absence of an adequate number of MP residences. Despite a shortage of MP residences, no new residence was constructed from 2014 to 2024. We took this work as a campaign. Around 350 MP residences have been built since 2014."

Parliament Monsoon Session live: In Delhi, as INDIA bloc MPs plan a march from Parliament to the Election Commission today, former Indian cricketer and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin said, “The people have already got to know everything but the Election Commission is still not giving a proper answer... This march will give a big message to everyone... Grievances must be heard and the ball is in the Election Commission's court. It is up to them how they hit it.”

Parliament Monsoon Session live: On the INDIA bloc’s planned march from Parliament to the Election Commission today, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal told news agency ANI, “They have not been allowing the House to function from the first day."

“The way Rahul Gandhi is making allegations against the Election Commission, the Election Commission is asking for evidence, saying if you have any proof, show it. Tejashwi Yadav himself has 2 EPIC cards... We should discuss the schemes that are for the welfare of the public,” he added.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: The INDIA bloc’s protest will be held without the alliance’s banner to accommodate AAP, which left the grouping last month but has 12 MPs in Parliament.

“This is a programme of the Opposition and we expect AAP to join it,” Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose said. A senior Opposition leader said the TMC played a key role in convincing AAP to participate in the march from Parliament to the EC office on Ashoka Road.

Protesters are expected to carry posters and banners in English, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and Marathi to oppose the Bihar SIR exercise and highlight alleged “vote theft.”

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Over 300 MPs from 25 Opposition parties will march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in Delhi on Monday to protest alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

Parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, DMK, AAP, Left parties, RJD, NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and National Conference are set to join the rally, which will begin at 11.30 AM from Parliament’s Makar Dwar.

Parliament Monsoon Session live: Opposition MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will march from Parliament’s Makar Dwar to the Election Commission office at Nirvachan Sadan today, news agency ANI reported.

The procession, scheduled to start at 11.30 am, will pass through Transport Bhawan.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police stated that the INDIA Bloc had not yet sought permission for the planned march from Parliament to the Election Commission.