Parliament Budget session: Rahul Gandhi demands discussion in Lok Sabha on voters' list

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday sought a discussion on voters list after TMC MP Sougata Roy raised the issue during the Zero Hour in the ongoing Budget Session on Monday.

Roy, while raising the matter in the Lower House, said that after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged concern over duplicacy in elector photo identity card numbers, the Election Commission decided to resolve what it has described as a “decades-long” problem within three months.

The TMC MP levelled allegations of duplicate voter cards discovered from some constituencies in West Bengal and also Haryana, and raised questions on the recently held Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

As Roy was speaking, Speaker Om Birla quipped, “Does the Central Government prepares voters list?”

Amid protests from Opposition members on his remarks, Rahul Gandhi stood and said though the Speaker is right in saying that the government does not prepare voters list, however the entire Opposition wants a discussion on the matter in the House.

The Congress MP's demand was echoed by several Opposition members.

Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he has taken back his comments made on the Tamil Nadu government during Question Hour, which had led to protests by DMK members leading to the adjournment of Lok Sabha for half-an-hour.

Pradhan, while responding to a question on fund allocation for Tamil Nadu to implement PM-SHRI schools scheme, had called the state government “dishonest, uncivilised and undemocratic” for playing politics on the matter.

DMK MP K Kanimozhi raised the issue of Pradhan's comments after the House resumed business at 12 pm.

Pradhan said he takes back his words but emphasised that the state government had initially decided to implement the scheme but later changed its stance.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Pradhan's objectionable comments will not go on record.