New Delhi, August 11, 2025 : The 16th day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session saw high drama both inside and outside the House as opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc staged a march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI). They were protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and alleging voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The day began with disruptions in both Houses. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned until 2:00 pm amid loud protests from opposition members, who demanded discussions on electoral fairness and the Bihar voter list revision.

Protest March from Parliament to Election Commission
INDIA bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, began their protest march at 11:30 am from Parliament House towards the ECI headquarters. The march covered roughly one kilometre and aimed to highlight concerns over the alleged irregularities in Bihar’s voter rolls.

However, Delhi Police set up barricades at Transport Bhawan, stopping the protesters before they could reach the ECI office.

Dramatic Scenes and Detentions
Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, were detained by Delhi Police. They were taken away in buses as they continued to raise slogans against the government.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav created a moment of drama when he jumped over a police barricade to join other protesters. Opposition MPs also sat on the road, blocking traffic in parts of central Delhi.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Dimple Yadav, KC Venugopal, and Mahua Maji led loud sloganeering near the barricades, demanding that the SIR process in Bihar be stopped immediately.

Why the Protest Happened
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise by the Election Commission to update and verify voter rolls. Opposition leaders allege that in Bihar, the SIR is being misused to tamper with electoral lists ahead of the state elections, potentially favouring the ruling party.

They also referred to allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, citing irregularities like duplicate voter entries, fake addresses, and suspicious voter registrations.

Related Parliamentary Actions
In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an Adjournment Motion Notice to discuss alleged voter fraud in Mahadevapura, Karnataka. He claimed that over 1,00,000 fraudulent votes were added to the rolls in Bangalore Central — more than the margin of victory in the seat.

Similarly, AAP MP Sanjay Singh demanded a Rajya Sabha discussion on the constitutional and electoral implications of the Bihar SIR process.

Rajya Sabha MPs Ranjeet Ranjan, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, and Rajani Patil also submitted notices for debates on the fairness of electoral processes.

Government’s Parliamentary Agenda Continues
Despite the protests, the government’s legislative work carried on. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was scheduled to introduce the Revised Income Tax Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The new bill incorporates 285 suggestions from the Parliamentary Select Committee and aims to simplify the tax system while addressing earlier shortcomings.

Other bills listed for consideration included:

The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025
The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025
The Indian Ports Bill, 2025

Other Issues Raised in Rajya Sabha
Apart from electoral reforms, the Rajya Sabha also saw notices on regional issues. BRS MP KR Suresh Reddy sought a discussion on the alleged unauthorised use of Godavari River waters by Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that the state’s construction of dams and barrages diverts water to other river basins, affecting Telangana’s interests.

Police’s Stand on the March
Before the protest began, the Delhi Police said no formal permission had been sought by the INDIA bloc to conduct the march. This led to early deployment of security and the setting up of multiple barricades along the protest route.

Police maintained that the detentions were made to maintain law and order in the high-security zone around Parliament and the ECI office.

A Day of Disruptions and Political Messaging
The protest on Day 16 of the Monsoon Session was as much about street politics as it was about parliamentary debate. The INDIA bloc sought to put the spotlight on what they call “systematic manipulation” of voter lists.

Meanwhile, the government remained focused on its legislative agenda, indicating that despite the disruptions, it intends to push forward with key bills before the end of the session.

The Election Commission has not yet issued a statement responding to the opposition’s specific allegations regarding the Bihar SIR process.