Opposition Escalates Protest Over Bihar SIR
On July 25, 2025, Members of Parliament from the INDIA bloc—including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge—continued their protest in the Parliament House complex. They are demanding rollback and debate on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of upcoming state elections. The protest marked the fifth straight day of monsoon session disruptions.1
Symbolic Tear-Down at Makar Dwar
Protesting MPs marched to the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament, carrying a banner reading “SIR‑ Loktantra par Vaar” (Attack on Democracy). They tore placards reading “SIR” and discarded them into a bin as a symbolic rejection of the roll revision. Slogans such as “Save democracy” and “Stop vote‑bandi” echoed around the premises.2
Parliament Entirely Disrupted
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions were repeatedly adjourned without progressing any legislative business. This fifth consecutive day of disruptions washed out the first week of the monsoon session. Only farewells for retiring members were allowed in Rajya Sabha.3
Key Figures Leading the Sit-In
Notable leaders participating in the protest included Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sonia Gandhi, K. C. Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Atishi Marlena among others. They represent major parties such as Congress, DMK, TMC, RJD, Samajwadi Party, and Left parties.4
Opposition’s Demands & Rationale
The INDIA bloc insists that the SIR procedure is disenfranchising poor voters ahead of Bihar’s poll-bound assembly elections. They demand an immediate rollback of the voter‑roll exercise and a formal debate on the House floor.5
Government Response & Session Outlook
Loksabha Speaker Om Birla convened an all-party meeting, indicating that parliament will resume substantive work in the next week. Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam terror attack debates have been proposed as agenda items.6
Timeline of Events at a Glance
- Session start: Monsoon session began July 21, 2025
- Protest began: July 22, 2025
- Continuous adjournment: Up to July 25, 2025 (5 days)
- Core issue: SIR of Bihar electoral rolls
- Symbolic act: MPs tear SIR placards at Makar Dwar
- Key leaders: Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge
Trivia & Quiz Snippets
Trivia fans: Which parliamentary complex entrance did Opposition MPs choose to symbolically discard “SIR” placards? Answer: Makar Dwar. Also, how many days in a row did Bihar SIR protests grind the monsoon session to a halt? Five.
Source: The Week