He highlighted anomalies in the SIR data: approximately 4.5 percent of voters marked as “not found at address”, another 4 percent “probably deceased or moved”, and local analyses suggesting total disenfranchisement could reach 12–15 percent. Emphasising the gravity, he described the exercise as a “spectacle and a tragedy” and raised alarms about it setting a precedent for similar action in other states.
SIR, launched on 24 June by the Election Commission, mandates door‑to‑door verification for eight crore registered voters, requiring proof of birth and citizenship. Reports indicate around 41 lakh voters have been flagged for issues, including confirmation of death, relocation, duplicate registrations or being untraceable. The Commission has initiated further visits before the 25 July deadline and claims the operation is constitutional.
Opposition leaders point out that over 14 lakh names are confirmed deceased, nearly 20 lakh have moved permanently and close to 7.5 lakh appear on multiple lists. They warn that thousands may lose their ability to vote and thus access to ration, pension and other state aids.
Lead opposition figures launched protests under the INDIA bloc banner, staging a “chakka jam” in Patna, with Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav accusing the government of orchestrating a tactic to “steal votes” and compromise electoral integrity. Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh called the EC’s timeline “impractical and unjust”, contending it targeted marginalised groups under monsoon conditions.
RJD has lambasted claims of illegal migrants being included in Bihar’s rolls and mocked EC sources as untrustworthy. Tejashwi’s controversial comment describing those “sources” as “urine” sparked backlash, with critics accusing him of undermining journalistic credibility.
The EC has rejected allegations of bias, stating SIR is lawful. It noted over 47,000 RJD agents are participating in verification and defended its approach. Supreme Court intervention on 10 July advised acceptance of documents like Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards, yet dissent persists.
Politically, the SIR’s timing—mid-monsoon and close to the expected October–November polls—has heightened tensions. Opposition warns the exercise may disproportionately affect poorer, rural and migrant populations. Tejashwi cautioned that once the process commences in one state, it could spread to others, calling it an attack on democracy and urging collective resistance.
The Election Commission maintains that the roll revision is essential for electoral accuracy and pledges full transparency. As the deadline looms, door‑to‑door verification continues, pending legal review and political pressure.