Opposition MPs Protest in Parliament Over SIR, Alleged ‘Vote Theft

Rapid Summary

• Several MPs from the INDIA bloc protested in the Parliament House complex on August 8, 2025, against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
• Protesters accused the SIR process of “vote theft” and alleged collusion between the EC and government.
• Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, and other MPs from DMK and Left parties participated in slogans demanding a rollback of SIR.
• Banners carried slogans like “Our Vote. our Right. Our fight” and “SIR – Silent Invisible Rigging.”
• Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi raised claims regarding poll rigging in a press conference on August 7.
• Protests have continued for 13 days during Parliament’s Monsoon session apart from Monday due to Shibu Soren’s demise.
• The Opposition wants discussions on voter disenfranchisement allegations tied to Bihar assembly elections later this year.

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Indian Opinion Analysis

The ongoing protests signal significant political friction over electoral clarity in Bihar ahead of crucial state assembly polls.Allegations by opposition MPs about potential voter disenfranchisement raise questions about confidence in institutional processes like electoral roll revision by India’s Election Commission (EC). If unresolved, such disputes could have broader implications for public trust in democratic systems.

Parliamentary disruption further complicates legislative functioning during an already tense Monsoon session marked by adjournments over multiple issues,reflecting sustained deadlock between opposition groups and ruling party agendas. Moving forward, constructive discussion between stakeholders could help address grievances while ensuring oversight mechanisms are robustly upheld.Read more here