ANI via The Hindu

The INDIA bloc on Thursday, October 8, 2026, staged a major protest march in Patna against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The march was led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) National Working President Tejashwi Yadav. Opposition leaders and workers gathered near the statues of the seven martyrs outside the Bihar Assembly before marching towards Lok Bhavan.

The opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission and the government have rejected allegations of wrongdoing, saying the electoral-roll revision is intended to identify and remove ineligible or duplicate entries.

Protesters Stopped by Police

The march was met with heavy security and multiple layers of barricading. Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders attempted to cross the barricades but were stopped near the office of the Chief Electoral Officer.

The situation became tense as protesters tried to move forward. Several INDIA bloc leaders were detained by police, while Yadav and other senior leaders were taken in a police vehicle towards Lok Bhavan. Police officials later clarified that Yadav was not formally detained, although several other leaders were taken into custody from the protest site.

Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram, VIP leader Mukesh Sahani, CPI leader Ramnaresh Pandey, CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and Indian Inclusive Party leader I.P. Gupta were among those who participated in the demonstration.

Tejashwi Yadav Targets Election Commission

Speaking during the protest, Tejashwi Yadav accused the Election Commission of acting unfairly and demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.

The RJD leader alleged that the Bihar election process had been affected by what he called vote theft and questioned why the BJP was defending the Chief Election Commissioner.

These allegations are part of the INDIA bloc’s wider campaign against the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission. The opposition has argued that changes to electoral rolls could lead to legitimate voters being excluded.

INDIA Bloc Submits Memorandum to Governor

After the confrontation at the barricades, an INDIA bloc delegation led by Tejashwi Yadav reached Lok Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Bihar Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain.

The memorandum called for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar and sought criminal proceedings based on the opposition’s allegations. The bloc also demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing SIR exercise and the restoration of names that it claims were wrongly removed from electoral rolls.

The opposition parties further called for changes to the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners and sought an inquiry into the functioning of the Election Commission’s IT system.

One of their most significant demands was that the 2025 Bihar Assembly election be declared invalid and that fresh elections be conducted. These are demands made by the INDIA bloc and do not represent established findings against the Election Commission.

Political Tensions Rise Over SIR

The Patna protest is part of a wider INDIA bloc campaign against the SIR process. The RJD had earlier announced block-level protests followed by district-level demonstrations and the Patna march.

The issue has also triggered protests by opposition parties in Delhi, with INDIA bloc leaders demanding action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that its decisions are based on the law and electoral rules.

The continuing dispute has turned the SIR exercise into a major political issue, with opposition parties questioning its impact on voters and the ruling side defending the electoral revision process.

Our Final Thoughts

The INDIA bloc’s Lok Bhavan March in Patna has intensified the political confrontation over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Tejashwi Yadav and other opposition leaders are demanding accountability and changes to the electoral process, while the Election Commission maintains that the SIR exercise is aimed at ensuring cleaner and more accurate electoral rolls.

With protests continuing in Bihar and other parts of the country, the dispute over SIR and the Election Commission is likely to remain a major political issue in the coming days.