Bihar Bandh Today: In a large protest against the Election Commission’s current special intense revision (SIR) of electoral registers in advance of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan alliance observed a state-wide bandh in Bihar on Tuesday. The coalition, which was led by the RJD and Congress, claimed that the poll panel had removed impoverished people’s names from the voter list in response to political pressure. Road and rail blockades were among the widespread delays caused by the bandh around the state.

Several cities, including Araria, Jehanabad, Darbhanga, and Hajipur, had their railway tracks blocked by Mahagathbandhan supporters. While alliance leaders torched tires to block roads, including National Highway 30 in the Maner constituency, Congress workers in Patna blocked the railway track at Secretariat Halt station. At other points, trains were momentarily stopped, including one when supporters of independent MP Pappu Yadav derailed the train. Yadav eventually returned to his group after police cleared the tracks of demonstrators.

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Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, visited Patna to support the protest. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the Election Commission of losing its credibility and turning into an extension of a political party. He warned, “They will first erase names from the voter list, then take away rations and pensions.” He added, “We called for the Bihar Bandh because of this.” He also noted that trade unions have extended their support to the ongoing bandh.

Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram explained that the chakka jam aimed to raise concerns about losing the right to vote. He emphasized, “Rahul Gandhi has always taken to the streets whenever the nation faced a crisis.” Responding to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s justification for the amendment, Ram argued that decisions made in Delhi often ignore ground realities in Bihar.