New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): As Parliament readies to open its latest session on Monday, signs already point toward a volatile week ahead, with Opposition parties preparing to challenge the government on multiple fronts — from alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to the deteriorating air quality choking the national capital.
The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have submitted fresh adjournment notices, demanding that the House set aside routine business to take up what they describe as urgent matters of public interest. Central to their protest is the reported distress among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deployed for the ongoing revision of voter lists.
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, in her notice, urged lawmakers to confront the “deepening crisis” facing BLOs. She cited recent reports of deaths and suicides among field staff, attributing them to harsh work demands, risky conditions and the pressure to meet deadlines during the SIR exercise. Such incidents, she argued, highlight not just a workforce safety issue but a governance failure with implications for election integrity.
Chowdhury also pointed to the mounting complaints from voters who say their names have unexpectedly vanished from electoral rolls — an issue that has triggered political tension in several states. She insisted the House must prioritise a discussion on the matter, warning that continued deletions could erode trust in democratic processes.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh backed these demands, alleging that several deletions appear unjustified and that the strain placed on BLOs has created a climate of fear among those responsible for maintaining the accuracy of voter lists. He called for a transparent review of the revision mechanisms currently in use.
Adding to the list of flashpoints, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan reiterated that Delhi’s worsening pollution must not be sidelined. Calling the air quality emergency “a public health disaster,” she told reporters she intends to use her Zero Hour to insist on a structured, solutions-oriented debate. “People are falling ill by the thousands,” she said, calling for at least a day-long discussion to forge a collective response.
With the Opposition sharpening its strategy and the government expected to defend both the SIR process and its pollution-control measures, the session is likely to witness repeated protests and procedural interruptions. Parliamentary floor leaders are bracing for a tense and combative start as competing priorities collide inside the House.
