Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday (July 20, 2025) shared letters he had written to 35 leaders seeking their support in the fight against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, alleging large-scale disenfranchisement. The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader has posted the letter on X.

Along with Opposition leaders at the national level, Mr. Yadav has also written letters to ruling coalition leaders at the Centre and the State, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lok Janshakti Party (RV) national president Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, Telugu Desam Party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president Sudhesh Mahto, and Apna Dal (Soneylal) party president Anupriya Patel.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and CPI-(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya were also among those who received the letters.

In the letter, Mr. Yadav said that he was writing the letter with a deep sense of anguish and urgency.

“The farce and tragedy of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) going on in Bihar has shaken the very foundation of democracy through large-scale disenfranchisement. It is a clear indication of how the independent institution of the Election Commission is adamant on eroding public trust in the integrity of our electoral process,” Mr. Yadav said in the letter.

He further wrote that every person in the country, irrespective of their background or status, is proud of their vote and the ability to participate in the governance of the country is deeply empowering.

Expressing apprehension, Mr. Yadav said that lakhs of voters, for no fault of their own, are being disempowered and humiliated.

“According to the EC press note dated July 16, 2025, around 4.5% of the population has already been left out because they were not ‘not found at their addresses’. This is in addition to the 4% who ‘probably’ passed away or have permanently shifted. Going by these numbers, journalists on the ground and political scientists closely observing the exercise put the disenfranchisement figure at a whopping 12% to 15%. This is unprecedented in the history of our country,“ Mr. Yadav said. 

Raising questions on the timing of revision, Mr. Yadav pointed out that even the Supreme Court had hinted at suspicion. He added that the EC had not done itself any favours by announcing and carrying out the exercise in a haphazard and high-handed manner.

Mr. Yadav alleged that the poll body has not been transparent and it is making and breaking its own rules on the fly. “Worse, they are targeting anyone and everyone who demands transparency and accountability,“ Mr. Yadav said. 

The former Deputy Chief Minister said the experience of the Maharashtra Assembly elections are still fresh in the memory, and he was still waiting for a proper response from the EC.

“Now it is Bihar’s turn. This needs to be resisted in the strongest terms possible. Because, if we do not raise our voices and register our strong protest, the same will be carried out in other States as well. The Constitution demands that we defend the republic. We should not be found wanting at this historical juncture,” Mr. Yadav said.