Bihar opposition MLAs don black attire, object to SIR ahead of election

On the second day of the monsoon session, the Bihar Assembly witnessed an uproar as the Opposition MLAs – dressed in black clothes and holding placards -- stormed into the well of the House, demanding discussion over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and deteriorating law and order.

This is the last session of the Bihar Assembly before the state goes to the polls in a few months.

Within the half an hour of the session, Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav adjourned the proceedings at 11 am, owing to repeated obstruction during the Question Hour.

The Speaker got engaged in a heated exchange with senior RJD leader Alok Mehta, who requested the Chair to allow him to make a statement on the floor of the House.

Addressing the media after the House was adjourned, RJD MLA and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said objections to the SIR had been brought to the Election Commission’s notice, but there had been no outcome.

“Today is the second day of the monsoon session of the Bihar Assembly, which is also the last session before the Assembly poll. Meanwhile, the Bihar Election Commission has decided on revising the electoral rolls. We have opposed this before, and even made some suggestions. But, there was no conclusion. The Election Commission is uploading the entries and putting stamps without the voters,” he said.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader further said the 11 documents required in the SIR exercise that many people of the rural areas in the state did not have. He added that people working outside the state were also facing a similar issue.

“Bihar is the mother of democracy. If democracy is being destroyed in Bihar, then it is our responsibility to protect it. If voting rights of citizens are taken away, then what are we here for,” Tejashwi said.

He further said that the Election Commission could not decide citizenship. This is the job of the MHA. If the Election Commission would decide the eligibility of voters, then there would be an objection. Voting right of Bihar citizens was being taken away, he added.

“Today, all of the opposition leaders tried to bring an adjournment motion in the Assembly to have a discussion over this issue, but to no avail,” he lamented.