Rahul Gandhi to lead Bihar bandh against electoral roll revision-OxBig News Network

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will be in Patna on Wednesday to add strength to Bihar bandh called by the INDIA bloc against the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

The leaders from the INDIA bloc, including the Congress, RJD and Left parties, have given a call for state-wide bandh on July 9, alleging the ECI’s SIR “diktat” which demands stringent documentation requirements and a tight July 25 deadline, risking the disenfranchisement of millions, particularly marginalised communities like Muslims, Dalits and migrant workers.

The Congress sources said Rahul is likely to lead the party’s state unit foot march in protest against the ECI’s move . He is is also expected to meet the family of slain BJP leader and prominent businessman Gopal Khemka, who was shot dead on June 4.

Earlier on Sunday, Congress’s Bihar president Rajesh Ram accused the ECI of orchestrating a “deliberate conspiracy” through its latest advertisement on voter list revision for the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, which was later withdrawn.

The SIR, initiated on June 24, faces significant challenges due to strict verification norms and the state’s 7.89 crore voter base. It requires proofs of birth and residency, particularly from 2.93 crore voters not on the 2003 rolls. The process is hindered by low literacy, limited document availability and the exclusion of common IDs like Aadhaar. Rural voters, migrants, and marginalised groups struggle with complex forms and tight deadlines, risking disenfranchisement.

Meanwhile, the murder of businessman Khemka continues to roil Bihar’s political landscape ahead of the Assembly poll.

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, have intensified attacks, labelling Bihar as “India’s crime capital” while accusing the Nitish Kumar-BJP government of fostering an environment of fear and lawlessness in the state.