Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Bihar was engulfed in a wave of anger and disruption today as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav spearheaded a state-wide Bihar Bandh, culminating in dramatic ‘chakka jam’ road blockades. The protest, led by the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), is a direct response to the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls mere months before the state assembly elections scheduled for later this year .

Characterizing the SIR exercise—launched on June 24 across 38 Bihar districts—as a potential tool to disenfranchise vulnerable groups, leaders contend that the revision could strip millions of migrants, Dalits, Mahadalits, and economically disadvantaged citizens of their voting rights . Mahagathbandhan leaders assert the move reeks of partisan manipulation meant to favor the ruling NDA in the upcoming polls.

The “chakka jam” began early morning in Patna and other urban centres like Hajipur, Sonpur, Jehanabad, Muzaffarpur, Araria, Purnea, and Darbhanga. Protesters deployed barricades and burning tyres to block roads and rail lines. In Jehanabad, students affiliated with RJD halted train services by obstructing tracks.

Patna, Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav led a march from the Income Tax roundabout to the EC office near the state assembly, underscoring the urgency of their plea. The alliance also includes Left parties, Vikassheel Insaan Party, and independent leaders like Pappu Yadav .

One of the central allegations is that the tightened documentation requirements—demanding one of 11 specified ID proofs—could disproportionately exclude marginalized communities, especially seasonal migrants and those without formal ID papers .

Statewide, opposition workers continued to escalate pressure. On Patna’s Mahatma Gandhi Setu, tyres were set ablaze to enforce the bandh, while in Purnea and Araria, road networks saw similar blockades. Railway disruptions were reported at Sachiwalay Halt, where independent MP Pappu Yadav and supporters attempted to halt train movements .

Security agencies maintain a significant presence around protest zones, particularly on key routes like the Golambar–EC office corridor in Patna, and on major roads in Purnea and Muzaffarpur. Despite the upheaval, essential services such as ambulances and school buses were reportedly allowed safe passage 

The Mahagathbandhan's campaign is reinforced by legal action: petitions challenging the constitutionality of the SIR have been filed by RJD MP Manoj Jha, ADR, and other social groups, with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear arguments on July 10 .

Representatives from the ruling BJP have dismissed the bandh as a political spectacle, advocating calm and stability. Yet opposition politicians—including Tejashwi and Gandhi—argue that the SIR drive is flawed and dangerously timed so close to elections, potentially disenfranchising millions .

Preparations for the upcoming polls are already in full swing, making the timing of this confrontation politically sensitive. With public sentiment resonating with the protestors’ cries, this bandh may mark a turning point—not only in Bihar’s electoral landscape but also in shaping future strategies of the Election Commission nationwide.