The Lok Sabha is set to witness an extended discussion on electoral reforms today, with a full 10-hour window allocated to examine several key issues linked to India’s voting and election management processes. The time has been evenly distributed between the ruling bloc and the Opposition, reflecting the importance and sensitivity of the deliberation.

Debate to begin at 1 pm

The discussion, scheduled to start at 1:00 pm, will cover subjects ranging from the role and accountability of the Election Commission to campaign finance transparency, the scrutiny of candidates with criminal backgrounds, the use of electronic voting machines and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The government argues that the exercise aims to improve electoral integrity, while the Opposition has indicated it will raise concerns over fairness and proposals such as “One Nation, One Election.”

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will initiate the debate. Among the BJP speakers listed are Nishikant Dubey, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, Sanjay Jaiswal and PP Chaudhary, who also heads the Joint Parliamentary Committee studying the “One Nation, One Election” proposal.

Opposition lines up senior speakers

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi will front the Congress’s charge. He has frequently criticised both the Election Commission and the ruling party in recent months. Other Congress MPs slated to speak include KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari, Varsha Gaikwad, Mohammed Jawed, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Isa Khan, Ravi Mallu, Imran Masood, Gowal Padvi and Jyotimani. The party has issued a whip asking all its MPs to remain present.

Alliance partners will also contribute to the debate, with the Shiv Sena represented by Srikant Shinde and Naresh Mhaske. LJP (Ram Vilas) member Arun Bharati and TDP MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and GM Harish Balayogi are also scheduled to participate.

The government is expected to reply on December 10, with Meghwal responding on behalf of the Centre.

The Centre has directed IndiGo to reduce its daily flight operations by 5%, marking the most stringent corrective step yet in the ongoing aviation disruption. Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that the airline’s winter schedule will be curtailed, with its vacated slots potentially allocated to other carriers.

DGCA orders reduction in IndiGo’s daily operations

According to the minister, IndiGo currently operates around 2,200 flights each day. With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation instructing a 5% cut, nearly 115 flights will be removed from daily operations. He said the government intends to set an example for all airlines to ensure strict compliance with safety and operational norms.

The minister also said the airline has processed refunds worth ₹745 crore for more than 7.30 lakh cancelled PNRs between December 1 and December 8.

“Internal crisis” behind mass cancellations

Naidu told the Rajya Sabha that the large-scale cancellations seen over the past week were triggered by IndiGo’s “internal crisis” as new passenger safety regulations came into effect. The updated norms, designed to tackle pilot fatigue by increasing mandatory rest time, required airlines to enhance crew strength. IndiGo reportedly fell short, resulting in significant disruptions.

Passengers left stranded as safety rules strain airline workforce

With over 2,200 flights scheduled daily and a traditional model built on minimising downtime, IndiGo struggled to meet staffing needs under the revised safety standards. As delays and cancellations mounted, the DGCA temporarily relaxed the new norms to stabilise operations.

Opposition walkout as government faces heat

While the government reiterated its commitment to passenger welfare and safety, the Opposition staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction with the minister’s explanation. The Centre maintains it aims to bring more competition into the aviation sector, asserting India has the potential to sustain five major airlines.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh momentarily lost his cool in the Lok Sabha on Monday during a high-voltage debate on Vande Mataram, sharply rebuking Opposition members who interrupted his address.

Minister’s sharp retort amid interruptions

A video from the House shows Opposition MPs repeatedly asking the minister to sit down mid-speech. Visibly angered, Singh shot back, asking, “Kaun baithanewala hai? Kaun baithayega? Kya baat kar rahe ho… baith! Yeh himmat hogayi?” His outburst triggered loud reactions from Treasury benches, with several ruling party MPs also objecting to the interruption.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla then intervened, signalling Opposition lawmakers to maintain order. Singh resumed his speech shortly after, continuing his remarks on Vande Mataram and the political controversies surrounding it.

Rajnath Singh attacks Congress over ‘Vande Mataram’ history

Speaking on the legacy of the national song, Singh accused the Congress of causing “fragmentation” of Vande Mataram due to what he termed “appeasement politics” dating back to the Nehru era.

He said justice had not been done to the national song, adding that the differential treatment between the national anthem and Vande Mataram needed reassessment. According to him, the original verses of the song and the book Anand Math had been unfairly misinterpreted and were never “anti-Islam,” but rather reflective of popular resistance against foreign rule.

PM Modi opens debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram

Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the Lok Sabha discussion earlier in the day, highlighting the iconic role of Vande Mataram in India’s freedom movement. He said the song was not merely a call for political independence but a “sacred war cry” against colonial oppression.

Modi criticised the Congress for its stance during the Emergency era when the song marked 100 years, claiming that democratic values were suppressed at the time. He said the current moment presented an opportunity to restore the “greatness” of Vande Mataram.

Opposition’s response

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra countered the government, alleging that the ruling party was raising the issue with electoral motives ahead of the Bengal assembly polls. She accused the Prime Minister of selectively quoting Jawaharlal Nehru and said Parliament’s time should be devoted to issues concerning citizens’ welfare.