Sonia Gandhi Joins INDIA Bloc Protest Against Bihar Electoral Revision

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Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today joined a significant protest by the INDIA bloc in the Parliament complex, demonstrating solidarity against the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. On Thursday, July 24, 2025, prominent opposition leaders and Members of Parliament (MPs) gathered at Makar Dwar, raising slogans and displaying banners to demand a rollback of the controversial exercise and a parliamentary discussion on the matter.

The protest reflects the INDIA bloc’s escalating concerns over the ECI’s voter verification drive in Bihar, which they allege could disenfranchise a large number of eligible voters ahead of the state’s upcoming assembly elections. Sonia Gandhi, alongside other key figures such as Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party’s Ziaur Rahman Barq, Trinamool Congress’s Kirti Azad, and DMK’s A Raja, participated in the demonstration. A large banner with the slogan “SIR Loktantra par Vaar” (Attack on Democracy) was prominently displayed, encapsulating the opposition’s strong stance.

Opposition parties have consistently argued that the timing and methodology of the SIR are problematic. They claim that the ECI’s demand for extensive documentation from voters, particularly migrant workers, makes it challenging for many to comply, potentially leading to their exclusion from the electoral rolls. This sentiment has led to repeated disruptions in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha throughout the Monsoon Session, with opposition members demanding a comprehensive debate on the issue.

The ECI, however, has defended the SIR as a crucial “cleansing” drive aimed at ensuring the purity of electoral rolls by removing deceased, shifted, or duplicate voters. The commission has stated that the exercise is mandated by the constitution and is essential for fair elections. Despite the ECI’s clarifications, the opposition remains unconvinced, viewing the initiative as politically motivated and designed to influence electoral outcomes. The presence of senior leaders like Sonia Gandhi at the protest underscores the INDIA bloc’s unified and intensified effort to challenge the ECI’s actions and bring greater scrutiny to the electoral process in Bihar. The ongoing parliamentary standoff suggests that the issue will continue to be a focal point of political debate in the coming days.