Rahul Gandhi to lead stir amid Bihar bandh called on July 9 over EC's Special Intensive Revision

Political parties, including RJD MP Manoj Jha and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, have already moved the Supreme Court to protest what they called 'EC’s arbitrary decision which may disenfranchise the majority of the voters'.

Patna: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi will lead the Bihar bandh stir, also called Chakka jam, on July 9 in Patna.

The bandh call has been given by the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc, also known as Grand Alliance or Mahagatbandhan, in Bihar to protest against the Election Commission’s decision to implement the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list in the State which will go to polls in a few months from now.

“On July 9, I, along with Rahul Gandhi, will do a Chakka jam (complete blockade). The way voting rights of the people of Bihar are being snatched, their other rights will be taken soon. We will hit the roads to protest against this,” said Opposition leader and former Deputy CM, Tejashwi Yadav here on Monday.

The RJD, which has also moved the Supreme Court protesting against the EC decision on SIR, is at the forefront in targeting the EC. “The Election Commission appears to be confused over the mode of implementing SIR as it is itself changing its orders every now and then,” said Tejashwi.

The RJD leader, who in all probability is the CM face of the Opposition alliance, fears lakhs of voters in Bihar will be disenfranchised if the EC, during its door-to-door voters’ verification drive, insists on submitting documents (along with the enumeration form) other than Aadhar and PAN.

Bone of contention

It is the list of documents to be submitted to the EC which has become a bone of contention. After the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar last week said that “Aadhar was a document meant only for identity of the person and not a proof of date of birth or address,” all the voters in the State have been asked to submit their enumeration forms to the BLO (booth level officers) by July 25 along with any documentary proof other than Aadhar and PAN.

Political parties, including RJD MP Manoj Jha and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, have already moved the Supreme Court to protest “EC’s arbitrary decision which may disenfranchise the majority of the voters.” The Supreme Court will hear the matter on July 10, a day after Chakka Jam on July 9.