Rajasthan Assembly witnesses heated exchanges over ‘SIR irregularities’ issue

The Rajasthan Assembly witnessed heated exchanges, followed by an adjournment, over the allegations of irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on Friday (January 30, 2026), as the Opposition Congress members claimed that Form-7 was being misused for the deletion of the names of eligible voters.

The disruption began during the Zero Hour when Congress MLA Zakir Hussain Gesawat raised the issue, seeking an investigation into the alleged submission of Form-7 applications in a large number between December 14 and 19, 2025, in his constituency, Makrana, in Didwana-Kuchaman district.

While Mr. Gesawat demanded action against the officials who were allegedly not making public the voters’ list despite protests, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said the matter could not be discussed in the House, as it did not pertain to the State, the ruling party, or the State Government.

“Article 324 of the Constitution vests the control of elections as well as electoral rolls in the Election Commission. The State Government has no role in this,” Mr. Patel said.

Mr. Patel’s intervention led to a confrontation between the Treasury benches and the Opposition. Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully said the issue had been raised through a slip with the Speaker’s permission, and the Congress member had only asked where the Form-7 applications had come from and whether a probe would be conducted. “We want the government to get it investigated,” he said.

As members from both sides engaged in a shouting match, Speaker Vasudev Devnani adjourned the proceedings for lunch, minutes before the scheduled lunch break. When the House reassembled, Mr. Jully requested that a half-hour discussion on the matter be allowed in the light of a debate on electoral reforms held in Lok Sabha recently.

Though Mr. Patel contended that such a debate would violate the rules of business for the Assembly, the Speaker informed the House that he would decide between seeking the opinion of legal experts and the Assembly Secretariat.

The Congress MLAs earlier staged a walkout during the Question Hour after a row erupted over dilapidated school buildings, social security pensions and scholarships for students belonging to Other Backward Classes. The House witnessed acrimonious exchanges for some time before the walkout.