Opposition’s Boycott Call Rings Hollow

 

The recent uproar by opposition leaders, particularly Tejashwi Yadav’s call to boycott elections in Bihar, is not just premature—it reeks of political desperation. The ongoing revision of electoral rolls through the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process, spearheaded by the Election Commission of India (ECI), has become a flashpoint. But instead of engaging with facts, the opposition has chosen hysteria.

Let’s look at the data. According to the ECI, out of the 7.8 crore voters in Bihar, 99% of forms have been verified and 92% digitised. The commission further revealed that over 21 lakh names of deceased individuals and 31.5 lakh names of permanently migrated citizens were removed. Add to this 7 lakh duplicate voters and a few lakhs who couldn’t be traced despite multiple verification attempts. These aren’t mere clerical updates. This is a long-overdue cleansing of India’s bloated electoral rolls, a cornerstone of free and fair elections.

And yet, the Mahagathbandhan cries foul. Why? Because the areas where most deletions are taking place —Seemanchal, Bhagalpur, Munger—also happen to be their strongholds. In some cases, voter registration exceeded 125% of the population. Let that sink in.

This isn’t a case of disenfranchisement; it’s a long-delayed act of democratic hygiene.

The opposition’s real fear is simple: their victories were often sealed by razor-thin margins - less than 10,000 votes in many constituencies. Now, with 25,000 votes being purged on average, they see the ground slipping beneath their feet. So instead of fighting democratically, they are choosing to delegitimise the system itself.

The Election Commission, meanwhile, has bent over backwards to maintain transparency. It has announced that by August 1, all political parties will get access to both hard and soft copies of the revised electoral rolls. They will even have until September 1 to flag discrepancies and help eligible voters re-register. There is no evidence of secrecy or bias.

And yet, no district-level complaints have been formally presented by opposition leaders. No documentation. No evidence. Just noise.

Even Rahul Gandhi dodged the question when asked if he supported Tejashwi’s boycott stance. Congress’ Bihar in-charge gave vague statements. The truth is: the opposition is not united on this. Like Mehbooba Mufti’s hollow boycott threats in Kashmir, this too will fizzle out once the election dates are announced.

Tejashwi Yadav may be posturing to protect his relevance within the alliance, but such tactics can backfire. If the RJD officially boycotts, a new RJD could emerge overnight, filling the vacuum and contesting under the same legacy. His “boycott or bust” politics could leave him isolated.

The Supreme Court has already been apprised of the ECI’s detailed process and verification steps. Booth Level Officers from all parties have been involved. If the system is flawed, then every stakeholder is complicit—not just the ruling alliance.

Let us be clear: purging dead, duplicate, or migrated voters is not voter suppression—it is voter authentication.

By pre-emptively crying foul, the Mahagathbandhan is admitting defeat. Their messaging is no longer “we will win,” but “we are being cheated.” This is a dangerous narrative, especially when faith in institutions is already under strain.

Instead of screaming boycott, the opposition should roll up its sleeves, verify its voter base, and prepare for a battle of ideas, not of excuses.

Because in a democracy, you don’t walk away from the fight. You fight fair.