‘SIR is a Scam!’: Mass Protests Erupt in Bihar Over Voter Roll Revision Drive

Widespread protests rocked Bihar on Wednesday as opposition leaders and civil society groups voiced fierce resistance to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing special revision of the electoral rolls in the state. The opposition, particularly the Mahagathbandhan alliance, alleged that the exercise threatens to disenfranchise millions of voters just months ahead of the crucial Bihar Assembly elections.

Leading the charge was Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Patna along with top leaders from various INDIA bloc constituents including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, CPI’s D. Raja, CPI(M)’s M.A. Baby, and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya. The leaders joined a massive procession that began near the Income Tax intersection in the heart of the state capital and culminated outside the Election Commission’s regional office.

Amidst roaring crowds of party workers and supporters, the leaders stood atop an open vehicle as they marched, accusing the poll panel of attempting to manipulate voter lists in favour of the ruling BJP. Barricades erected by the administration near the Vidhan Sabha failed to deter the protestors, who continued their demonstration and later addressed the gathering at the EC office.

Rahul Gandhi Slams ECI, Accuses Panel of Political Bias

Rahul Gandhi delivered a scathing critique of the Election Commission, alleging that the institution had become an extension of the BJP. “This is not an impartial body anymore. It is acting at the behest of the BJP and serving its political interests, not the people,” he said.

He likened the Bihar electoral roll revision to what he called the “Maharashtra model,” where he claims electoral manipulation helped the BJP score an unexpected win in the Assembly polls despite suffering setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections.

Dalits, Marginalised Targeted, Say Protestors

Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan, better known as Pappu Yadav, also joined the demonstrations in Patna, staging a blockade near the Sachivalay Railway Halt. He accused the Election Commission of deliberately targeting Dalits and other underprivileged communities through exclusionary verification procedures.

“This is a conspiracy to suppress the voice of the most vulnerable. They are trying to erase Dalits, the poor, and minorities from the electoral landscape,” Yadav said. He represents the Purnea constituency in the Seemanchal region—a belt the BJP has repeatedly claimed is home to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Statewide Disruption: Tyres Burnt, Roads Blocked

The protest was not confined to the capital. Burning tyres were reported across several districts including Muzaffarpur, Nawada, Arwal, Jehanabad, and Darbhanga. Roads were blocked, and movement of vehicles brought to a halt as local MLAs from RJD, Congress, and the Left parties led demonstrations.

On Patna’s iconic Mahatma Gandhi Setu—one of the longest river bridges in India—traffic remained paralyzed for hours due to tyre fires and protester blockades, impacting commuters and freight carriers alike.

Supreme Court to Hear Fresh Plea on July 10

As tensions escalated on the ground, the Supreme Court of India agreed to urgently hear a fresh plea challenging the ECI’s decision. A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it would take up the matter on July 10, alongside other pending cases on the issue.

The petition, filed by activists Arshad Ajmal and Rupesh Kumar and mentioned by advocate Vrinda Grover, argues that the Election Commission’s June 24 order initiating the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is unconstitutional. The petitioners contend that the process imposes unreasonable documentation requirements for birth, residence, and citizenship—disproportionately affecting women, migrants, the poor, and marginalised communities.

“The electoral revision process risks excluding countless eligible voters. This undermines the basic structure of the Constitution, particularly the principles of free and fair elections,” the plea states.

Opposition’s United Legal Push

This latest petition adds to a growing list of legal challenges already before the top court. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear a joint petition filed by senior leaders of the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI(ML), JMM, and others.

In addition to individual petitions filed by RJD’s Manoj Jha and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, the joint plea has been signed by Congress' K.C. Venugopal, Supriya Sule (NCP), D. Raja (CPI), Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena UBT), Sarfraz Ahmed (JMM), and Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), among others. All have sought the quashing of the EC’s June 24 order.

Prominent civil society organisations and individuals—including the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), and activist Yogendra Yadav—have also filed similar challenges.

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