WHEN A SHORT SESSION IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

The Opposition is all set to make the voter list revision exercise a key issue this WInter Session of Parliament.

- PRIYA SAHGAL

This does not suit the government for many reasons. The main one being that since this is an exercise carried out by the Election Commission (EC), the Parliament would be the wrong place to discuss the issue as the EC is not present and cannot partake in the proceedings of the House .And if the government speaks in defence of the SIR then it would lend credence to the Opposition’s claim that the EC was acting at the behest of the Modi led government. This in fact is precisely the optics that the Opposition wants to send to the people by insisting on the debate. The government would prefer the parliament focuses on some key reform bills it is keen to implement as well as holding a day long discussion on Vande Mataram. The latter fits in very well with the BJPs narrative of nationalism and it hopes that this would occupy the mindspace and the headlines for the rest of the session, taking the heat