Members of the INDIA bloc staged a protest in the Parliament premises on Friday against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, alleging large-scale voter manipulation.
Carrying a banner reading “SIR: Silent Invisible Rigging”, the MPs raised slogans accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of facilitating “vote theft.” The issue has triggered repeated demonstrations in both Houses since the start of the Monsoon Session.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the ECI’s refusal to share the updated voter list. “As per the petition, an affidavit can be submitted within 30 days, but no action will be taken. Why are they asking for the affidavit? If there is an intentional mistake, you should investigate it. Why are you not providing us with the voter list? Do they even understand how crucial each voter is in the Vidhan Sabha elections? By removing nearly 1 lakh voters, they can clearly decide who wins,” she told reporters.
The ECI, however, reiterated on Friday that “not even a single claim or objection” has been filed by any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls published in Bihar on August 1. It has urged stakeholders to submit corrections, assuring that no eligible voter will be excluded and no ineligible name will be included in the final list.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha began proceedings with a tribute to former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, who passed away on Tuesday.
Separately, Congress MP Hibi Eden submitted a notice for an adjournment motion to discuss the alleged attack on two Catholic priests, a catechist, and two nuns by around 70 Bajrang Dal members in Jaleswar, Odisha. In his letter to the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, Eden called the incident a “brazen attack” and demanded urgent discussion.
On the legislative agenda, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is set to move amendments to the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022. The proposed National Sports Governance Bill seeks to enhance sports development, ensure welfare for sportspersons, uphold ethical practices, and establish a unified mechanism for resolving sports disputes in line with the Olympic and Paralympic Charters and international best practices.
