INDIA Alliance leaders held a protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list to express their concern over the allegations of electoral malpractices. Holding placards in their hands, they raised slogans and demanded honesty and transparency in elections, accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of “vote theft”.

The protests have continued despite the Election Commission clarifying on the allegations on Sunday, while also asking Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit with proof of his claims of election rigging.

MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Kanimozhi and others, protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of ‘vote chori’ against the BJP and the Election Commission of India.

Just after the protest, INDIA bloc leaders held a meeting in the office of Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament.

On August 17, 2025, two major developments occurred, one was the Election Commission’s press conference on SIR, and the other was the announcement of the NDA’s vice-presidential candidate.

NDA declared Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice Presidential candidate in a press conference held after the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting. The meeting was held in New Delhi on August 17, 2025.

On other end, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has categorically rejected the allegations of “vote theft” leveled by the opposition during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the pre-poll voter list in Bihar. He said on Sunday that neither the Election Commission nor the voters are intimidated by such “baseless” allegations. The statement came at the first press conference held by the commission after the completion of the SIR process in Bihar.