Bihar News: Protests Erupt Over Voter‑List Revision Ahead of Assembly Polls

Today, there were large-scale protests and blockades in Bihar because opposition parties and trade unions spoke out against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voting rolls. This was a dramatic rise in political unrest.  Leading the protests, important INDIA bloc leaders, most notably Rahul Gandhi, joined the agitation and set up roadblocks and tyre burns in many major cities, including Patna.

#WATCH| Mahagathbandhan leaders burn tyres and block roads supporting 'Bihar Bandh' called by the alliance against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar before the state Assembly Elections 2025.

Visuals from the Maner Assembly stretch of National… pic.twitter.com/rKunRsczRb

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2025

The Mahagathbandhan, which is made up of Congress,RJD, and other opposition groups, called for a "Bihar Bandh" across the whole state. They want what they call an open and fair process for adding voters.  Tejashwi Yadav, the head of the RJD, stressed the need for openness and accused the Election Commission of meddling in politics.

There were major problems with public transport because of blockades on roads and railway tracks.  Members of the RJD student group blocked trains in Jehanabad, and in Patna, protesters burned tires near Danapur and other intersections.

The Bharat Bandh is a nationwide strike by more than 25 crore workers

At the same time as the Bihar Bandh, there was also a Bharat Bandh happening across the whole country. It was organized by ten central trade unions that spoke for over 25 crore workers in banking, postal, mining, building, transportation, agriculture, and rural areas.  The unions spoke out against what they called the government's "anti-worker, anti-farmer, pro-corporate" policies. They also called for the repeal of the 2020 labor codes, higher MNREGA pay, and quick hiring in the public sector.

The strike and the protest over the voting rolls came together in Bihar. In Patna, INDIA, bloc leaders and union members took part in joint protests.  There were major problems in key areas like banks, postal services, coal mining, transportation, and public sector units.  Because Indian Railways thought there might be problems with the trains, they added security at stations in the East Central Railway zone by adding more RPF and GRP officers, CCTV cameras, anti-sabotage sweeps, and barriers.

Schools, hospitals, fire departments, police, and metro and taxi services all ran properly, but many public offices and transportation systems were still down.  A lot of stores and public services run by the government were closed, mostly in Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

What does this mean for politics and society?

The simultaneous protests show that worker groups and opposition politics are becoming more united.  The fact that the INDIA bloc joined the Bharat Bandh shows how worker unrest is strategically politicized. The Election Commission's drive to update the voter rolls was supposed to finalize the list of candidates for the Bihar assembly elections in October and November. Instead, it has become a flashpoint for opposition claims of voter fraud and manipulation.

Even though there was some trouble, neither gathering ended with major violence.  Bihar's leaders were careful and sent out police, fire brigades, and quick-reaction teams, but these harsh actions were mostly not needed.

What to Expect

Whether the voter-roll revision is rolled back or kept going could become a major problem in the election, especially if the INDIA bloc sticks to its story of bias.

Mobilization of Workers: The size of the Bharat Bandh shows how deeply people are unhappy with recent changes to the way workers are treated.  It could lead to more moves by unions, which could put more political pressure on the government.

Security and Governance: The government will keep a close eye on things, especially during the rollout of the SIR, because any new protests, especially close to election dates, could affect the validity of the vote.

These events, which bring together governance, electoral politics, and labor action, are a turning point that will undoubtedly affect how people talk about politics in Bihar before the important state elections.