‘Relief for democracy’, says Congress on Supreme Court’s suggestion on voter list revision in Bihar

Congress general secretary (organisation), K.C. Venugopal pointed out that the apex court will hear the case again later this month, while expressing hope that the EC will go with the court’s suggestion. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA The Congress on Thursday (July 10, 2025) said the Supreme Court’s suggestion that the Election Commission (EC) … Read more

The need to safeguard the right to vote

The story so far: On July 10, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission (EC) to consider Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ration cards as acceptable documents for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. It has listed the batch of petitions challenging the EC’s decision for further hearing on July … Read more

The ECI does not have unfettered powers

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is flanked by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu (left) and Vivek Joshi. Photo: X@ECISVEEP via PTI The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, which will be facing Assembly elections in November. Political parties in the Opposition have alleged that … Read more

What the ‘neutral clean-up’ of Bihar’s poll rolls really is

In recent years, India has experienced a subtle, yet significant, shift in how citizenship and national belonging are defined, and, increasingly, how voting rights are determined. This transformation is most evident in the ongoing electoral roll revision by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bihar, just months before the State Assembly elections later this … Read more

SIR trying to steal not just vote, but future as well: Rahul Gandhi in Patna

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with CPI (ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and others addresses supporters during a protest amid ‘Bihar bandh’ called by the INDIA bloc against Special Intensive Revision in the state, in Patna, on July 9, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader … Read more

Immediately stop Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, say INDIA bloc leaders

Demanding a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, INDIA bloc leaders on Monday (July 7, 2025) criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), and said the poll body was in a confused situation. Addressing a press conference in Patna, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) … Read more

Tejashwi Yadav accuses ECI of forgery in the name of SIR

Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav addresses a press conference on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, in Patna on July 7, 2025. | Photo Credit: ANI Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) accused the … Read more

The dark signs of restricted or selective franchise

‘The SIR also has features of the ordeal the people of Assam experienced during the National Register of Citizens exercise’ | Photo Credit: AP We are now in the second week since the sudden launch of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, on June 24, 2025. By now we all … Read more

RJD MP Manoj Jha joins force in Supreme Court to challenge special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar

RJD leader Manoj Jha. File | Photo Credit: PTI Petitions challenging the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar are mounting with RJD MP Manoj Jha moving the Supreme Court. Mr. Jha termed the SIR process in the State “ill-timed and … Read more

Rahul Gandhi to join Bihar bandh on July 9 against electoral roll revision, labour codes

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. File. | Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP With the State Assembly elections just months away, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Patna on Wednesday (July 9, 2025), to join State-wide bandh called by Opposition parties over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls,new labour code and deteriorating law and … Read more

Supreme Court to hear on July 10 pleas challenging SIR in Bihar

Voters show the enumeration forms given by a Booth Level Officer (BLO) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Vaishali district, Bihar. Photo: X/@ECISVEEP via PTI The Supreme Court on Monday (July 7, 2025) agreed to urgently hear on July 10 a batch of petitions challenging the legality of the special intensive … Read more

In Bihar SIR challenge, Supreme Court refers to 1977 verdict on Election Commission’s powers

Voters show enumeration forms given by District Election Officer cum District Officer. Photo: X/@CEOBihar via PTI Even as a pitched legal battle lies ahead for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, the Supreme Court on Monday (July 7, 2025) drew petitioners’ attention to a judgment which observed that the Constitution does not “exalt” … Read more

Over one crore electors submit enumeration forms in Bihar

Voters show the enumeration forms given by a booth-level officer (BLO) during the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, in Vaishali district. Photo: X@ECISVEEP via PTI The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday (July 5, 2025) said that the special intensive revision (SIR) is underway in full swing in Bihar. Booth-level officers (BLOs), … Read more

ECI allows more time for Bihar voters to provide documents under SIR

The Election Commission of India has allowed Bihar voters more time to submit one of the 11 documents required for validation in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the State’s upcoming Assembly election, even while insisting that the SIR was “being implemented smoothly at the ground level”. The ECI’s announcement … Read more

Special Intensive Revision: Enumeration forms given to 87% electors in Bihar, says Election Commission

The Election Commission has said that verification will start vigorously from August 2, 2025, onwards after the publication of the draft electoral rolls. File  | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma The Election Commission (EC) on Friday (July 4, 2025) said that over 87% of the enumeration forms had already been distributed to nearly 1.5 crore … Read more

Allow Aadhaar and ration cards as key documents for Bihar special revision of electoral roll: INDIA bloc

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav with Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram and Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahni speaks to the media after visiting the State Election Commission, in Patna, Friday, July 4, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI A delegation of INDIA bloc leaders on Friday (July 4, 2025) met Bihar Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod … Read more

Bihar polls can be held based on 2024 electoral rolls: D. Raja

CPI General Secretary D. Raja addresses a press conference in New Delhi on July 04, 2025. | Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap Underlining the danger that several lakh voters could face exclusion from the electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being undertaken in Bihar by the Election Commission, Communist Party of India (CPI) … Read more

RJD and its allies have anti-Constitutional mindset, says BJP

The BJP had raised a “serious issue” that those who called themselves socialists in Bihar were in reality “namazwadis”, and that ‘these people neither accept nor respect Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution,” Gaurav Bhatia, BJP national spokesperson, said. | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) slammed Rashtriya Janata Dal … Read more

Pashupati Kumar Paras eager to be the part of INDIA bloc in Bihar

Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) national president and former Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Thursday (July 3, 2025) claimed to have had positive talks with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. Photo credit: X/@PashupatiParas Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) national president and former Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Thursday (July 3, 2025) … Read more

NDA will form govt. in Bihar with two-thirds majority, says Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressing the BJP State Working Committee meeting in Patna, Bihar on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: PTI PATNA Ahead of the Assembly election later this year in Bihar, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh targeted the opposition Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Wednesday, alleging that … Read more

BJP accuses Tejashwi Yadav of appeasement politics over Waqf Act 

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. | Photo Credit: PTI  BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of attempting to mislead the people of Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. Mr. Pal’s remarks came during a press conference in Mumbai, … Read more

Opposition meeting with Election Commission over special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar deferred

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) said that a meeting scheduled on July 2 with Opposition parties on the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has been postponed as the parties did not provide confirmation for the same. Photo credit: X/@ECISVEEP   The Election Commission of India on … Read more