New Delhi, Dec. 3 -- The government and the Opposition on Tuesday agreed to discuss the ongoing SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls in the Lok Sabha next week, preceded by a debate to mark 150 years of "Vande Mataram", signalling a breakthrough after two days of disruptions in Parliament's winter session. "During the All-Party Meeting Chaired by Hon'ble Speaker Lok Sabha today, it has been decided to hold discussion in Lok Sabha on 150th Anniversary of National Song "Vande Mataram" from 12 Noon on Monday 8th Dec and discussion on Election Reforms from 12 noon on Tuesday 9th Dec," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X after the meeting. At an informal meeting chaired by Rijiju on Tuesday morning, the Opposition had rejected the proposal to debate Vande Mataram before discussing the SIR. Hours later, they accepted the offer. The Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien, after attending Rijiju's meeting, said: "A responsible opposition has done all it takes to get Parliament to function. We have been gracious and accommodating, even though we are up against a government that mocks Parliament. Yes, a discussion on SIR was and is a top priority as people are dying. However, in the spirit of parliamentary democracy, we accepted the government's proposal about the timing and made a tactical change. We will corner the government in both debates. Bring it on." The Congress's Manickam Tagore claimed victory for the INDIA bloc. "INDIA wins. Arrogance finally bows to the unity of 240 &100 MPs. Discussion on Electoral Reforms scheduled for Dec 9," he said. The Rajya Sabha floor leaders are expected to finalise a plan to debate the two subjects in the Upper House on Wednesday. However, the Upper House will debate only after the Lok Sabha completes the discussions. Rijiju told the media: "Today, in the Lok Sabha Speaker's chamber, the meeting of all-party floor leaders went well. We were able to agree that on Monday, the Lok Sabha will have a special discussion on the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram. Following that, on Tuesday, there will be a discussion on election reforms. A time of 10 hours has been allotted, and if necessary, we will extend it. This has been mutually agreed upon." The Minister continued: "We are moving forward with a clear and focused mind. All of us together must run Parliament - the government and the Opposition must work together to do so. Earlier, we emphasised that the Election Commission plays a crucial role in advancing the election process. Indeed, the Election Commission has a significant role in ensuring elections move forward smoothly. However, there are rules and regulations established by Parliament, including the People's Representation Act." The SIR issue will be covered in a short-duration debate on the urgent need for electoral reforms. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh suggested the SIR debate could be held under subjects such as "need for further electoral reforms", "urgent need for further electoral reforms" or "continuing electoral reforms." Earlier in the day, an informal meeting between the government and the Opposition on the issue of scheduling debates in Parliament ended in a stalemate. Rijiju met party leaders of the Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, DMK, CPM and AAP on Tuesday, but Opposition leaders said there was no clarity on when the discussion on the pressing issue would be taken up. According to three leaders aware of the details, Speaker Om Birla assured that both the items-Vande Mataram and SIR-can be discussed, and the 150th year of Vande Mataram should be discussed first due to its historical importance. "The government managers said that the debate on the national song can start on Wednesday and the Prime Minister will participate in it. Some Opposition leaders suggested that the debate be held next week as they need time to prepare," said a senior Opposition leader. "All parties agreed to the schedule. There were no protests or objections," the Congress's Lok Sabha chief whip K Suresh told HT. With the debate on the SIR scheduled for next week, leaders are confident of a sense of breakthrough and smooth sailing for Parliament in the coming days. The possible breakthrough also comes hours after the Opposition, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside the main gate of the Parliament building on Tuesday morning demanding a debate on the SIR. On Monday, the three-week-long monsoon session started on a fractious note over the Opposition's demand for an immediate debate on electoral reform. The Lok Sabha saw three adjournments and the Rajya Sabha one. On Tuesday, the Lower House also saw three forced adjournments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to the Bihar election outcome and the importance of parliamentary business in his opening remarks outside Parliament before the start of the session on Monday. "Parliament is for delivery, not drama," he said, adding: "The Opposition should do its part and raise important issues and step aside from the disappointment of failure. Some parties cannot even handle that their defeat has made them unsettled." On Tuesday, a number of Opposition leaders submitted notices for adjournment motions, none of which were accepted. Congress chief Kharge said in the Rajya Sabha: "Our appeal is that there should be an immediate discussion on the SIR. This is a very serious issue, because the lives of BLOs are at stake in the country. Discussion on SIR is in the interest of the country, citizens, and democracy. These are urgent matters; more than 28 people have died due to the SIR work pressure. I want the discussion to take place now, only in the interest of democracy, citizens and our country. I request that you allow the discussion. We will cooperate with you if you allow." Rijiju had earlier said the discussion will take place but the Opposition cannot impose a timeline. On Tuesday, the Opposition rallied to push for a discussion on the SIR issue. In the Rajya Sabha, leaders from the TMC, Congress, and DMK trooped into the well of the House raising slogans. The leaders demanded an assurance on when the discussion on the pressing issue would be taken up, pointing out that as many as 28 BLOs had died. Apart from the SIR, the Opposition wants to debate national security in the backdrop of the Delhi blasts and the Centre's alleged unwillingness to send funds to non-NDA-ruled states. The session ends on December 19....