New Delhi: Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Congress parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex on Thursday, opposing the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar. The protestors, which included Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav, TMC’s Sagarika Ghose, and others from the DMK, Left, and Congress, gathered near the Makar Dwar holding banners that read “Discussion Not Deletion” and “SIR – Silent Invisible Rigging”. They demanded a complete rollback of the revision exercise, alleging that the EC’s move aimed to disenfranchise voters ahead of the state Assembly elections.

This protest marked the 12th consecutive day of opposition demonstrations, with a one-day pause observed following the demise of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. Opposition MPs carried placards accusing the Election Commission of colluding with the ruling government to manipulate the voter list. They maintained that the SIR process is an undemocratic attempt to tilt the electoral balance in Bihar, and called for an immediate discussion in both Houses of Parliament. The protestors’ central message revolved around transparency and voter inclusion, as they alleged the silent removal of names without due process.

The opposition has also raised the issue repeatedly inside the Parliament, demanding that the government allow a formal discussion on the matter. However, the demand has resulted in multiple adjournments, leading to a logjam in proceedings during the Monsoon session, which began on July 21. With the exception of discussions on “Operation Sindoor”, Parliament has been largely inactive due to the SIR controversy. Opposition leaders have vowed to continue their protests until their demand for electoral transparency is addressed and the SIR process is either withdrawn or openly debated in both Houses.