Eleven opposition parties, including the Congress, RJD, Samajwadi Party, and CPI, have strongly objected to the Election Commission of India’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls just months before the state assembly elections. The parties argue that the move is ill-timed and could affect the fairness of the polls.
An 18-member INDIA bloc delegation met with ECI officials in New Delhi to express their concerns. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi questioned the rationale for initiating the revision in June, citing past precedents when similar exercises were conducted well in advance of elections. Singhvi highlighted the challenge of verifying 7.75 crore voters in such a short timeframe.
The opposition also criticized the ECI’s restriction on limiting only two representatives per party for meetings. This led to several senior leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, being forced to wait outside. Singhvi argued this restriction was undemocratic and curtailed meaningful consultation.
Jairam Ramesh, in a social media post, accused the ECI of undermining democratic processes over the last six months, saying it was acting under the banner of being a “New Commission” with questionable motives. He likened the Commission’s move to demonetisation, calling it a form of “VOTE-bandi” that could endanger democracy in Bihar.
The opposition has demanded that the revision be either reconsidered or extended to ensure accuracy and fairness without rushing the process.
