Mahagathbandhan's Aakrosh March hits Bihar over SIR, demands CEC quit
Synopsis
The Mahagathbandhan has taken its fight over Bihar's electoral roll revision to the streets — burning effigies of PM Modi, Home Minister Shah, and CEC Gyanesh Kumar at block headquarters across the state. With district-level protests and a Patna march lined up for 8 October, the alliance is staging its sharpest challenge yet to the Election Commission's SIR exercise ahead of Bihar elections.
Key Takeaways
Mahagathbandhan launched Aakrosh Marches at block headquarters across Bihar on 7 October 2026 against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
RJD workers in Patna burned effigies of PM Narendra Modi , Home Minister Amit Shah , and CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
The alliance has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and greater transparency in the SIR process.
Tejashwi Yadav also alleged that ₹10,000 transfers to women's bank accounts were being used to influence voters — allegations that have not been independently established.
District-level protests are scheduled for 8 October , followed by a march in Patna from Saptamurti to Lok Bhavan and submission of a memorandum to the Governor.
The Mahagathbandhan alliance on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, launched coordinated Aakrosh Marches at block headquarters across Bihar, escalating its street campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The two-day agitation, announced by Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, marks the alliance's most visible pushback yet against an electoral exercise it alleges is riddled with irregularities.
What Unfolded in Patna
In the state capital, a large contingent of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers assembled outside the party office, raising slogans against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters carried effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Gyanesh Kumar before marching towards the Income Tax roundabout, where the effigies were set ablaze.
The demonstrations were part of a structured, statewide programme — block-level marches on 7 October, to be followed by district-level protests on 8 October. A culminating march in Patna is planned from the Saptamurti area to Lok Bhavan, where the alliance intends to submit a formal memorandum on the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission to the Governor.
The Core Allegations
Tejashwi Yadav announced the agitation following a meeting of Mahagathbandhan leaders on Monday, accusing the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of acting against the interests of Opposition parties. The alliance has raised specific concerns about the deletion and verification of names from electoral rolls under the SIR process, demanding greater transparency from the ECI.
Yadav also alleged that ₹10,000 transfers to women's bank accounts ahead of the election amounted to the use of government resources to influence voters — a charge the alliance claims it raised before the Election Commission but received an unsatisfactory response to. It must be noted that these are political allegations made by the RJD and its allies and have not been independently established as facts.
What Is the SIR Exercise
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission to update voter lists — adding new eligible voters, correcting errors, and removing entries of deceased or relocated individuals. Opposition parties in Bihar have argued that the current round of SIR is being conducted in a manner that disproportionately affects their voter base, though the ECI has not publicly acknowledged any procedural irregularity. This is the latest in a series of confrontations between the Mahagathbandhan and the ECI in the run-up to the Bihar elections.
What Happens Next
The agitation is set to intensify on 8 October, with demonstrations at district headquarters across Bihar. The Patna march and memorandum submission to the Governor will serve as the formal culmination of the two-day programme. How the Election Commission responds — and whether it engages with the Opposition's transparency demands — will determine whether the protests escalate further or are channelled into a legal or institutional challenge.
Point of View
How many deletions, by what margin. Without granular evidence, the protest risks being read as pre-emptive blame-setting rather than a substantive accountability challenge. The ₹10,000 transfer allegation adds a second front, but conflating welfare disbursements with voter inducement is a legally and politically contested claim. The Election Commission's silence or response will be as revealing as the protests themselves.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mahagathbandhan's Aakrosh March in Bihar about?
The Aakrosh March is a two-day protest organised by the Mahagathbandhan alliance against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The alliance alleges irregularities in the revision process and is demanding greater transparency from the Election Commission of India and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is an Election Commission exercise to update voter lists by adding new eligible voters, correcting errors, and removing entries of deceased or relocated individuals. The Mahagathbandhan alleges the current round disproportionately affects its voter base, though the ECI has not publicly acknowledged any irregularity.
Who announced the Mahagathbandhan agitation and what is the schedule?
Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, announced the two-day agitation after a Mahagathbandhan leaders' meeting on Monday. Block-level marches were held on 7 October, district-level protests are scheduled for 8 October, followed by a march in Patna from Saptamurti to Lok Bhavan and submission of a memorandum to the Governor.
What other allegations has Tejashwi Yadav made against the Election Commission?
Tejashwi Yadav has alleged that transfers of ₹10,000 to women's bank accounts ahead of the election amount to using government resources to influence voters. He has also accused the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of acting against the interests of Opposition parties. These are political allegations made by the RJD and its allies and have not been independently established as facts.
What is the Mahagathbandhan demanding from the Election Commission?
The alliance is demanding greater transparency in the SIR electoral roll revision process, a satisfactory response to concerns about voter name deletions and verifications, and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It has said earlier representations to the ECI went unaddressed.
