New Delhi

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said the government is ready to discuss the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but stressed that the Opposition should not insist on immediate timelines for the debate.

The remark came after Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the House take up the SIR issue without delay. Rijiju said he would hold consultations with leaders of various parties on Tuesday to arrive at a solution.

Leader of the House J P Nadda backed him, noting that the government had already conveyed it would revert soon. “A meeting is going to take place with Opposition leaders and very soon we will decide,” Nadda said.

Responding to Kharge’s push for an urgent discussion, Rijiju cautioned against fixing deadlines for parliamentary deliberations. “Please don’t put timeline conditions on anything,” he said. Parliamentary democracy required dialogue and flexibility, not mechanical procedures, he added.

Rijiju argued that the Opposition was attempting to prioritise one issue over another, even though “all issues are important”. Taking a swipe at the Opposition benches, he said, “You are unable to win elections and people do not believe in you — and you vent out your anger in Parliament. This is not right.”

The minister reiterated that the government was willing to discuss the subject and urged the Opposition to first participate in consultations instead of demanding an instant decision.

Earlier, Kharge criticised the rejection of Rule 267 notices submitted by the Opposition. He said the notices were declined without mentioning the subjects or reasons — which he claimed was against parliamentary tradition.

Calling for immediate discussion on SIR, Kharge said the issue was of national concern due to extreme work pressure on booth-level officers. “More than 28 people have died due to SIR work pressure,” he claimed, adding that the matter directly affected the lives of citizens and the health of democracy.

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“I request that you allow the discussion now. We will fully cooperate,” he said.