Bihar Politics: Supreme Court’s SIR Order and Upcoming Campaigns

Bihar is gearing up for assembly elections later this year, with political parties intensifying their campaigns. The issue of the Special Investigation Report (SIR) has become a central point of debate, involving the ruling and opposition parties and the Election Commission. The Supreme Court has intervened, issuing an interim order on Thursday, which RJD and Congress see as a triumph for justice. Tejashwi Yadav expressed his satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, stating it validated their demands regarding the SIR. He accused the Election Commission of attempting to hide information. The Congress screening committee convened, with prospective candidates from 19 districts presenting their applications. Ajay Maken, the committee chairman, presided over the meeting. JDU will initiate a statewide campaign, ‘Sushasan Ka Saar-Aapke Dwar,’ from August 17th, aiming to disseminate information about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s achievements over two decades. The campaign will involve booth-level outreach using booklets and stickers to connect with voters. BJP’s Rituraj Sinha criticized Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav regarding the SIR issue, accusing them of misleading the public and defending fake voters. He pointed out that despite numerous press conferences, no party has filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission based on technical grounds. Sheela Mandal, Bihar’s Transport Minister, highlighted the positive changes Nitish Kumar has brought to Bihar over the past 20 years, emphasizing the increased participation of women in various fields. Mukesh Sahni, a former minister, predicted the formation of a Grand Alliance government within three months. Nityanand Rai, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, claimed that the Congress has rejected Tejashwi Yadav, emphasizing the public’s role in selecting the Chief Minister. The Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee welcomed the Supreme Court’s interim order, viewing it as a significant step in restoring the rights of 6.5 million voters who were removed from the 2025 voter list. The Supreme Court’s directive includes the public disclosure of lists of removed voters, the reasons for removal, and dissemination through various media channels, along with the display of these lists on notice boards.