Tejashwi Yadav Hints at Bihar Assembly Election Boycott Amid Voter List Row

Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar is considering boycotting the upcoming state assembly elections. This follows a significant disagreement regarding a special, intensive review of the electoral registers, which the party argues could compromise the integrity of the voting process. 

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav stated on Thursday that the party is "keeping the option open" to boycott the elections. He has also accused the Election Commission of following directives from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suggesting that under such circumstances, holding an election becomes futile. 

The controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) intensified in Parliament. Opposition parties staged a "black protest" after the government declined to engage in a debate on the issue. Sources indicate that the government's stance was that the Election Commission is responsible for the revision, and therefore, the government could not respond on behalf of the electoral body. The government reportedly argued whether a discussion on the voter list revision was even permissible in such a scenario. 

The matter has also become a point of contention within the Bihar Assembly, where RJD and other opposition Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have called for a comprehensive debate on the SIR process.