Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday issued an exhaustive ruling that has virtually shut the door on Rule 267 notices, declaring that the provision cannot be used to discuss matters unrelated to the day’s officially listed business, a decision that has sparked intense outrage across the Opposition benches during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Throughout the session, every single notice moved under Rule 267—intended to suspend scheduled legislative business for urgent public importance—has been systematically disallowed by the Chair. On Wednesday alone, two additional notices were rejected, with Radhakrishnan warning that repeated “routine notices” aimed solely at disrupting the pre-approved agenda amount to procedural misuse of the rule.

In his detailed clarification, the Chairman stressed that Rule 267 has no parallel with the Lok Sabha’s adjournment motion, which derives direct constitutional sanction under Article 75(3). He ruled that any notice failing to specify the exact rule to be suspended or raising subjects outside the List of Business is inherently invalid and inadmissible, irrespective of its claimed urgency.

Also Read: Parliament Schedules Vande Mataram, Electoral Reform Debates Next Week

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge launched a strong rebuttal, arguing that parliamentarians are forced to resort to Rule 267 only because the government consistently blocks alternative avenues such as short-duration discussions and short-notice questions, thereby preventing immediate debate on matters of grave national importance and shielding itself from accountability.

Countering the allegations, Leader of the House J P Nadda maintained that the government has never dodged discussion on any subject and remains fully prepared to address every issue raised by the Opposition through established parliamentary procedures and within the framework of the approved daily agenda.

Also Read: Opposition Livid as Vande Mataram Gets Priority Over SIR Says Rijiju