Modi government pushes for space debate in Parliament amid logjam over Bihar SIR protests

New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament will resume on Monday after a brief break but there are no signs of a thaw between the government and the Opposition with the former now listing a special discussion in Lok Sabha on India’s space programme after declining the demand for a debate on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Monsoon Session, which was adjourned on Tuesday to reopen on August 18, is scheduled to end on August 21, which is also the last day of filing of nominations for the election to the post of Vice President. Incidentally, the first day of the Session on July 21 saw incumbent Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigning from the post citing health reasons.

The last four days would also see the I.N.D.I.A bloc discussing a candidate to be fielded against the BJP-led NDA. On Monday, the I.N.D.I.A bloc floor leaders will meet to discuss floor strategy.

Lok Sabha has listed a ‘Special Discussion on India’s First Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station – Critical Role of Space Programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047’ on Monday, a day after astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who was in the ISS, returned to India. The listing of the debate comes even as the I.N.D.I.A bloc is holding a ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, among others would be leading the yatra in Bihar against SIR. The listing of the debate on the country’s space programme comes even as the Opposition has been vociferously protesting against the SIR and disrupting the proceedings of the House.

While the government passed a slew of Bills in din last week, there has been very little debate happening in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha owing to the protest. On Monday, the government also listed the introduction of Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which will be referred to a Select Committee, and Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha.

In Rajya Sabha, the government listed The Indian Ports Bill, 2025 for passage.