Opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged a striking protest at the Parliament House complex on Friday against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. The demonstration, held ahead of the day’s parliamentary proceedings, involved a march and the symbolic tearing of posters labeled ‘SIR,’ which were then discarded into a disposal bin near the Makar Dwar steps, signaling their rejection of the revision process.

The protest saw participation from MPs of Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, TMC, RJD, and Left parties, who carried a banner reading “SIR – Loktantra par Vaar” (SIR – Attack on Democracy). They raised slogans like “Save Democracy” and “Stop Vote-Bandi,” demanding an immediate rollback of the SIR and a discussion in both houses of Parliament.

The opposition alleges that the revision, which has removed 52 lakh names from Bihar’s electoral rolls, including 18 lakh deceased voters and 26 lakh who relocated, is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise marginalized communities ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.

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The Election Commission, however, defends the SIR as essential for ensuring a clean voter list, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stating it is foundational to fair elections. The controversy has fueled ongoing protests, with the opposition accusing the EC of acting in concert with the BJP to manipulate voter data.

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