Kiren Rijiju defends prorogation delay, blames Congress for delimitation impasse

Minister Rijiju pushes back on Congress’ criticism of prorogation lag

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday sent a formal letter to Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, answering a complaint that the Monsoon Session of Parliament has not yet been prorogued despite 64 days having elapsed since the Houses were adjourned sine die on 13 August 2026.

Rijiju wrote that the Constitution does not prescribe a specific period within which a House must be prorogued after adjournment. “The mere fact that a House has not been prorogued during such an interval does not, by itself, give rise to any constitutional or procedural impropriety,” the minister said.

He bolstered his view with historic examples: the UPA‑led Parliament went 87 days without prorogation in 2008, and similar stretches occurred in 1987 (76 days), 1989 (54 days) and twice in the 2000s (49 days each in 2006 and 2013). These precedents, he argued, show that the current gap is not unprecedented.

Congress’ lack of cooperation on delimitation talks

The letter also addressed Kharge’s demand for an all‑party meeting before the Delimitation Amendment Bill is taken up. Rijiju listed three outreach letters sent on 16 March, 26 March and 12 April 2026, and noted a personal discussion with Kharge and a meeting with Rahul Gandhi during the Monsoon Session. Despite these attempts, he claimed the Congress “did not provide dates for discussion,” forcing the government to extend its consultations to other parties.

He named the DMK, Samajwadi Party, YSR Congress Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM and Biju Janata Dal as having been approached for support on the delimitation legislation.

Government’s next steps

Rijiju said the Centre remains “firmly willing” to hold constructive parliamentary engagement and hopes the Congress will play a “constructive role” rather than obstruct “important future legislations.” The minister indicated that a special session is likely to be convened later this month to consider the delimitation amendment and related constitutional changes, including the women's reservation bill.

Opposition’s stance

Congress leaders, including Kharge and general secretary Jairam Ramesh, continue to demand that both Houses be prorogued and that an all‑party dialogue be held before any further bills are introduced. They have also called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and a pause on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The exchange underscores a growing standoff ahead of the anticipated special session, with the government pointing to procedural precedents and outreach efforts, while the opposition insists on broader consensus before moving forward.