Massive Opposition Protests in Parliament, But No Formal Objection to Bihar SIR
Despite loud protests in Parliament, the opposition parties have not submitted any formal objections to the Election Commission’s draft electoral rolls for Bihar, which were released on August 1.
Even as the deadlock in Parliament continues during the ongoing monsoon session, the opposition has not officially raised any objection regarding the draft electoral list prepared by the Election Commission of India for Bihar.
The electoral draft was published on August 1, following the conclusion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that lasted a month in Bihar, a state heading for elections later this year.
Between August 1 (3 PM) and August 4 (3 PM), no political party — whether from the opposition or the ruling alliance — filed any claim or objection regarding the inclusion of eligible voters or removal of ineligible ones, as per the Election Commission.
This includes parties from the NDA alliance — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) — who have not raised any formal concerns either.
A total of 1,927 individuals have personally filed claims and objections to the draft electoral rolls.
Opposition Demonstrations in Parliament Against SIR
Opposition parties, such as the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), are currently protesting against the SIR process. They have been demanding a detailed discussion on the Election Commission’s decision to carry out the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
This marks the third consecutive week that Parliament proceedings have been affected due to continued slogans and protests by opposition MPs. The House was adjourned again on Monday amidst the uproar.
Apart from brief discussions on Operation Sindoor in both Houses, Parliament has hardly conducted any official business since the start of the Monsoon session on July 21. Initially, the disruption was driven by demands for a debate on Operation Sindoor, which has now shifted to demands for a debate on the SIR process.
Election Commission Releases Draft Rolls
The Election Commission published the draft electoral rolls for Bihar on August 1.
Although no compiled list was shared, the Commission mentioned that voters could verify their names through the official EC website. As per the EC, there were 7.93 crore registered voters in Bihar before the SIR process began in June.
The release of the draft rolls has initiated the “claims and objections” phase, which will continue until September 1. During this period, voters who believe their names were wrongly deleted can contact the relevant authorities for corrections.
