India's opposition parties have united to focus their parliamentary strategy on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, particularly in Bihar, branding the exercise as "vote chori," which translates to "vote theft". This unified stance comes amid concerns that the Election Commission's (EC) revision is aimed at disenfranchising voters ahead of the Assembly elections.

The INDIA bloc, consisting of multiple opposition parties, has decided to adopt "vote chori" as the official nomenclature for SIR, believing that the term "SIR" is too esoteric for the common person to grasp its political significance. Leaders of the bloc have been asked to find equivalent terms for "vote chori" in their respective languages to use during protests both inside and outside Parliament.

Several Members of Parliament (MPs) from the INDIA bloc staged protests in the Parliament House complex, demanding an immediate rollback of the revision. They raised slogans such as "Vote ki chori bandh karo" (Stop vote theft) and "SIR wapas lo" (Rollback SIR). The MPs also carried placards with messages like "Stop vote loot" and imagery suggesting collusion between the EC and the government.

The opposition has been staging daily demonstrations in the Parliament complex, alleging that the SIR process in Bihar is politically motivated and undermines democratic rights. They continue to press for a formal discussion on the issue in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. While the Opposition has managed to speak about SIR on record in Rajya Sabha, the MPs in Lok Sabha are also trying to get the issue on record.

Sources indicate that the opposition is considering organizing a protest outside the EC, depending on the government's decision on a debate on SIR. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has decided to intensify its opposition to the voter roll revision, believing it will lead to a large-scale deletion of voters. TMC, along with its INDIA bloc partners, plans to protest at Nirvachan Sadan. Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary, will convene a virtual meeting of all TMC leaders to chart the road ahead, focusing on mass movements against SIR and a strategy to address the harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants.

The opposition's decision to collectively focus on SIR and label it as "vote chori" signifies a coordinated effort to raise awareness about their concerns regarding the electoral process in Bihar. By simplifying the issue with a catchy slogan and staging protests, they aim to mobilize public opinion and pressure the government and the Election Commission to address their grievances. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the opposition's strategy will lead to a meaningful discussion and resolution of the concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.