Opposition MPs Stage Massive Protest in Delhi Against Bihar’s Electoral Roll Revision, Allege “Vote Theft”
Protesters wore white caps emblazoned with red crosses over “SIR” and “Vote Chori” (Vote Theft), carrying placards reading “SIR + Vote Theft = Murder of Democracy” and “SIR – Loktantra Par Vaar.”
NEW DELHI- Over 300 opposition MPs from 25 political parties, including the INDIA bloc and AAP, took to the streets of Delhi on Monday, staging a high-profile protest march from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
Their demand: an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls, which they allege is a politically motivated exercise aimed at disenfranchising minorities and marginalized communities ahead of the state’s November 2025 elections.
The march, led by senior leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, and Sharad Pawar, began from Parliament’s Makar Dwar at 11:30 AM. Protesters wore white caps emblazoned with red crosses over “SIR” and “Vote Chori” (Vote Theft), carrying placards reading “SIR + Vote Theft = Murder of Democracy” and “SIR – Loktantra Par Vaar.”
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Tensions rose when Delhi Police stopped the march at Transport Bhawan with heavy barricading. Several MPs attempted to climb the barricades, resulting in over 30 detentions, including Rahul Gandhi. They were released after two hours. Police cited the lack of formal permission for the march and ECI’s approval for only a 30-member delegation as the reason for the blockade.
Rahul Gandhi called the protest a “fight to save the Constitution” and reiterated allegations of “vote theft” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He warned that the ongoing revision could exclude millions, particularly Muslims and citizens lacking official documents.
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The ECI defended the SIR as a routine, legally mandated process to remove deceased or ineligible voters and add new ones, stressing that no voter can be removed without a formal inquiry. However, opposition leaders likened the revision to “institutional voter cleansing,” comparing it to Assam’s controversial 2019 NRC process.
The protest caused disruptions in both Houses of Parliament, with adjournments following heated debates. BJP leaders dismissed the allegations, calling the demonstration a “strategy to create chaos,” and defended the SIR as necessary to weed out undocumented immigrants.
As the political battle lines deepen, opposition parties have vowed to escalate their campaign nationwide, making Bihar’s voter list revision a flashpoint issue ahead of the state polls.
