INDIA Bloc MPs Protest at Parliament Against Bihar SIR
The MPs gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar and called for a stop to the exercise
New Delhi: The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) MPs, for the fourth consecutive day, protested against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission (EC) in poll-bound Bihar.
The MPs gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar and called for a stop to the exercise. The opposition parties have repeatedly demanded a discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha regarding the revision exercise, moving adjournment motions every day since the start of the monsoon session. They allege that manipulation of voter rolls is taking place under the guise of the SIR.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji, Deputy Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha, and several other leaders participated in the protest.
Carrying banners that read “SIR – Attack on Democracy,” the MPs stood at Makar Dwar, demanding that the voter list revision be halted.
Earlier, Congress MP Manickam Tagore submitted an Adjournment Motion seeking discussion on the revision exercise, calling it an “act of mass disenfranchisement” and nothing short of “institutional voter cleansing” orchestrated under the Modi Government.
Tagore further described the SIR exercise as an attack on the legacy of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, who “enshrined” universal adult franchise in the Constitution to empower citizens regardless of caste, class, or wealth.
Meanwhile, multiple party MPs in the Rajya Sabha have also moved adjournment motions to discuss the issue. Party leaders in the Upper House, including Rajani Ashokrao Patil, Jebi Mather, Ranjeet Ranjan, Neeraj Dangi, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, have called for the suspension of Zero Hour and Question Hour on Thursday to allow for a focused discussion on the Bihar SIR.
Rajani Ashokrao Patil, in her submission, stated that the actions of the poll panel have “sparked apprehensions about potential electoral manipulation.”
In her letter, Patil wrote, “To discuss the concerns arising out of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of elections, as well as reports of a similar exercise being planned in West Bengal and other states. These actions have sparked grave apprehensions about potential electoral manipulation, particularly in view of concerns that had emerged in Maharashtra during the 2024 legislative Assembly elections.”
Meanwhile, in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has also hinted at the possibility of a poll boycott, stating that he may discuss the matter with alliance partners.
