The Opposition has accused the ECI of acting at the behest of the government to benefit the ruling BJP in elections by allegedly removing voters sympathetic to them.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the poll body was indulging in “vote chori (theft)”.

Since the session began on 21 July, the Opposition’s protest against the SIR and demand that it be discussed in Parliament has forced almost uninterrupted adjournments of the two Houses, barring the debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor stretching for two productive days.

The Opposition is likely to press its demand again on Monday and at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, which decides the agenda, of the two Houses.

Hitting out at the Opposition for disrupting Parliament, Rijiju said it is not allowing other members to raise their issues and then claiming that it is not being allowed to speak.

The minister said vast resources, including manpower and money, are spent on running Parliament, but the Opposition’s relentless protest has wasted them.

Every MP wants to raise an issue that he or she considers important, but Opposition parties are now allowing them to ask questions of the government or give voice to their sentiments on key matters, he said.

“Crores of rupees are spent on running Parliament. The Congress and its allies should apologise to people for their conduct,” Rijiju said.