Rahul, Tejashwi Protest Bihar Voter List Revision Amid Bandh

Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav Lead Protests in Patna Against Voter Roll Revision in Bihar

Patna witnessed massive protests on Wednesday as senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), including Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, led a march to the Election Commission office opposing the special intensive revision of Bihar’s electoral roll. The protest coincided with a state-wide bandh, called by the Opposition, that triggered widespread disruptions across the state.

The voter list revision, announced recently by the Election Commission of India (ECI), has sparked concerns of voter disenfranchisement, especially among backward and marginalized communities. Protesters allege that the document requirements—such as birth certificates and parental ID proofs—are discriminatory and could lead to the removal of legitimate voters, particularly those lacking formal documentation.

In Patna, hundreds of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers clashed with police as they attempted to march toward Mangles Road, where the ECI’s office is located. Several businesses and shops remained shut, while key railway services like the Shramjeevi and Bibhuti Express were halted.

Demonstrations were also held in districts including Darbhanga, Vaishali, Nawada, Siwan, Jehanabad, Ara, Araria, Supaul, Saharsa, Katihar, and Kishanganj. Protesters blocked highways using tyres and even buffaloes, while in Darbhanga, demonstrators staged a bare-chested protest.

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Pankaj Darad confirmed that security forces were deployed and no major incidents of violence were reported.

Opposition leaders have criticized the timing of the revision—just months before state elections—and questioned the ECI’s decision to exclude widely accepted documents like Aadhaar and ration cards for citizenship verification.

The ECI has defended the revision, citing reasons such as rapid urbanisation, migration, non-reporting of deaths, and inclusion of ineligible names. It clarified that the 2003 voter roll would be treated as "probative evidence" of citizenship unless contested.

The matter is now before the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear petitions on Thursday challenging both the timing and the procedural fairness of the exercise. Petitioners argue that the 30-day window to prove citizenship using limited documents is unconstitutional and risks mass voter exclusion.