New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha’s ongoing debate on election reforms was briefly interrupted on Thursday, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announcing that the remaining discussion would be taken up on Monday at 1 p.m.

The decision was made in view of a scheduled prayer meet in Parliament, requiring members to adjourn their interventions. Kiren Rijiju informed the House that while several members had already spoken on the subject, the debate could not be concluded in the allotted time.

“Since Parliamentarians have to participate in the prayer meet, the rest of the discussion on election reforms will take place on Monday at 1 p.m.,” he said, requesting members to reconvene after the weekend. The discussion on election reforms will not take place on Friday as it is a day allocated for private member bills.

Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh then adjourned the House at 4 p.m. till Friday.

The debate on election reforms has been one of the most charged discussions in the ongoing session, with opposition MPs raising concerns over voter disenfranchisement, transparency in electoral rolls, and the credibility of the Election Commission’s processes.

AAP’s Sanjay Singh, Congress leaders Ajay Maken and Jairam Ramesh, and BJP MPs including Sudhanshu Trivedi and J.P. Nadda have all weighed in, offering sharply contrasting perspectives on the state of India’s democracy.

While opposition members have alleged arbitrary deletions of voter names, inconsistencies in turnout figures, and misuse of central agencies, ruling party MPs have defended the robustness of India’s electoral system, citing technological safeguards such as EVMs, voter IDs, and CCTV monitoring.

The exchanges have underscored the deep political divide over how elections are conducted and monitored in the country.

By rescheduling the debate, Kiren Rijiju sought to ensure that all members who had submitted notices and prepared interventions would have adequate time to present their views.

The Monday session is expected to see further heated exchanges, with both sides likely to sharpen their arguments on electoral integrity, reforms, and the role of constitutional authorities.

With the debate now slated to resume at the start of next week, election reforms remain firmly on the agenda, promising another round of spirited deliberations in the Upper House.

–IANS

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