Over 300 MPs marched to Election Commission (EC) of India office on Monday, August 11, protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of “voter fraud” during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, the Opposition MPs were stopped by Delhi Police barricades at Transport Bhawan to prevent them from moving forward to EC HQ.

After he was detained, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said, “EC is silent, but the truth is before the entire country. The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list,” he added.

Delhi Police detained INDIA bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, among others, who were protesting against the SIR and staged a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India.

Randeep Surjewala challenged the government after he was detained, he said, “Randeep Surjewala says, “Will the prison bars be able to stop Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition. ‘Ab ek hi naara hai- Bol raha hai poora desh, vote hamara choo ke dekh’…The people of this country have rejected the partnership of the Modi government and the ECI.”

“… They are using the police to stop us…,” said Samajwadi Party Chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav as he sat down to protest.

Reacting to the the MPs protest, BJP MP and Education Minister called it ‘vote bank politics’. “Opposition has no faith in the Constitution of India. SIR not happening for the first time, Congress in lying. Opposition always resorts to vote bank politics.”

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled a meeting with Opposition MPs at 12 pm today, as tensions rise over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Members of the INDIA bloc plan to stage a march to the ECI headquarters in protest, accusing the Commission of irregularities in the process.

Amid the protest, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra raises slogans as the INDIA bloc leaders march from the Parliament to the Election Commission of India to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of “voter fraud” during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

No clearance for 300 MPs in EC

New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said, “There was a permission for 30 MPs from the Election Commission. Since they were in large numbers, we detained them. We have informed them that 30 MPs will be allowed (to meet ECI)…”

Deepak Purohit, Joint CP New Delhi says, “The detained INDIA bloc leaders have been taken to a nearby Police Station. We are still counting the number of MPs detained. There was no permission for a protest here, but we had intimation… If they decide, we will facilitate them to the Election Commission Office. There is proper police arrangement in the ECI…”

RJD MP Manoj Jha says, “… If you cannot meet MPs citing the excuse of space, then that in itself is a comment on what kind of work you are doing… This (SIR) is a fraud; you are not providing classified data. Despite the Supreme Court’s instructions, your (Election Commission) stubbornness is not going away…”

The issue has dominated debates in Parliament during the Monsoon Session, with Opposition leaders claiming that the SIR has led to mass, unjustified deletions from the voter list.

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ECI: No claims or objections from political parties

In response to the uproar, the ECI issued a statement addressing the Bihar SIR process. The Commission noted that since the beginning of the Claims and Objections period, not a single claim or objection had been formally submitted by any political party.

Data released by the ECI showed that while political parties had appointed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in large numbers, for example, the Rashtriya Janata Dal with 47,506 BLAs and the Bharatiya Janata Party with 53,338, none had filed objections. Similarly, 8,341 claims and objections were submitted directly by electors, but none have yet been disposed of.

Under the rules, these claims and objections can only be resolved after seven days, once eligibility documents have been verified by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant ERO.

Controversy over voter list deletions

The Bihar SIR is a comprehensive voter verification exercise conducted ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. Its stated aim is to ensure the inclusion of eligible voters and removal of ineligible ones. However, reports have emerged of large-scale deletions, particularly among minorities and migrant workers.

As per SIR orders, no name can be deleted from the draft list, published on 1 August 2025, without a formal “speaking order” issued by the ERO/AERO, following an enquiry and providing the voter a reasonable opportunity to respond.

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The controversy deepened when the ECI told the Supreme Court that it could not share the names of the 65 lakh electors removed from Bihar’s draft rolls, nor provide reasons for their exclusion at this stage. It also reiterated its refusal to release a digital, machine-readable version of the voter list.

According to the ECI, “neither the law nor the guidelines provide for preparation or sharing of any such list” of previously enrolled voters whose enumeration forms were not received during the process.