New Delhi: The first day of the 2025 Winter Session of Parliament ran into disruption as the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday following heated protests by opposition MPs demanding the immediate withdrawal of the SIR exercise and calling for a full parliamentary debate on the matter.

When the House met at 11 am, opposition MPs began raising slogans and pressing for discussion on the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls — an issue the government had scheduled across several states. Alongside SIR, MPs also raised concerns over air pollution, recent security incidents and other national issues, setting the tone for a contentious session.

Despite repeated calls from the Chair to restore order and proceed with the session, the protests grew louder. Speaker’s appeals went unheeded as MPs from multiple parties trooped into the well of the house, demanding immediate action on the SIR exercise. Eventually, the Chair had no option but to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

This disruption comes against the backdrop of a packed legislative agenda. The government had listed major bills, including changes to the Central Excise law, new GST/cess proposals, along with other economic and security-related legislation.

The opposition, however, has made clear that unless SIR is suspended — or at least placed on the agenda for discussion — they will not allow the House to function smoothly. This stand reflects deep distrust of the SIR process. The SIR — a nationwide electoral roll revision exercise by the Election Commission of India (ECI) — has become a flashpoint for concerns of voter disenfranchisement, especially in states undergoing elections soon.

In earlier sessions, similar ruckuses over SIR and electoral roll revisions have resulted in repeated adjournments, with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha often unable to take up legislation. For instance, during the Monsoon Session 2025, both Houses were frequently adjourned shortly after convening, causing a significant delay in business.

With this being the very first sitting of the Winter Session, the adjournment underscores the challenge ahead: passing an ambitious legislative agenda may now hinge on whether the opposition drops its demand or the government agrees to a debate on SIR.

As of now, the opposition remains firm, insisting that the SIR exercise be withdrawn or at least subjected to parliamentary scrutiny — a demand many believe reflects wider concerns about electoral integrity. Whether this standoff will ease before 2 pm remains uncertain.