Bihar bandh: INDIA bloc’s big test ahead of elections

New Delhi: A statewide bandh orchestrated by the INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, Left parties, and supported by central trade unions, is attempting to immobilise Bihar on Wednesday.

This bandh tests the INDIA bloc’s ability to mobilise both political and labour forces ahead of Bihar’s scheduled October-November assembly elections, capitalising on voter rights and regional pride.

The INDIA bloc’s Bihar bandh seeks to ride on the countrywide bandh called by trade unions, which involves more than 25 crore workers from banking, construction, mining, postal, and transport sectors.

The Mahagathbandhan expects that the combined impact of both bandh calls will appear larger than life and push the bloc’s cause further.

Protesters staged road blockades, halted public transport, and disrupted services in objection to the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In the state capital Patna, Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav led a high-profile chakka jam, marching to the local ECI office in protest.

Across districts such as Jehanabad, Hajipur, Sonpur, and Narpatganj, supporters of the RJD and allied groups erected barricades, raised slogans, and brought buses and other transport services to a standstill.

Opposition leaders accused the ECI of confusion and bias. “We will enforce chakka jam… EC is changing its orders every hour,” Rahul Gandhi said, demanding clarity and transparency.

Tejashwi Yadav called the exercise a threat to democratic rights.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar defended the initiative as essential for electoral integrity. He announced that nearly half of Bihar’s 7.9 crore voter forms had already been collected and emphasised that the process would include pre-filled forms and a claims-and-objections window.

Petitions from RJD MP Manoj Jha, ADR, Mahua Moitra, and others are set for Supreme Court review on July 10, challenging the SIR for potentially disenfranchising millions, particularly migrants and marginalised communities.