Poll Body Grants Appointment For 'Interaction' On Congress Request

The election body has granted an appointment for 'interaction' on Monday at the Congress party's request. The Opposition has been constantly raising questions over SIR in Bihar, accusing the poll body of "vote theft". Meanwhile, around 300 MPs of the INDIA bloc are set to conduct a protest march from Parliament to the office of the ECI on Monday.

Photo Credit: IANS

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has granted an appointment for an interaction at noon on Monday at the request of the Congress. In a letter addressed to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, the poll body's secretariat stated that the Commission has considered the request and decided to grant an appointment.

The appointment is granted in response to Jairam Ramesh's request on "behalf of certain political parties".

"EC has granted an appointment for an interaction at 12:00 PM today. It is requested that, due to the limitation of space, names of up to 30 persons may kindly be intimated...", the letter read. 

Election Commission of India Secretariat writes to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh

"EC has granted an appointment for an interaction at 12:00 PM today. It is requested that, due to the limitation of space, names of up to 30 persons may kindly be intimated...", reads the letter

As of… pic.twitter.com/PZLXei4wfH

— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025

In addition, the ECI has requested to submit the names of up to 30 people along with their vehicle numbers for the interaction due to the limitation of space. The agenda of the meeting is not mentioned in the letter.

Opposition On Bihar SIR, 'Voter Theft' 

The Opposition has been constantly raising questions over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, accusing the poll body of "vote theft". Meanwhile, around 300 MPs of the INDIA bloc are set to conduct a protest march from Parliament to the office of the ECI on Monday.

Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that all the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are filling out "fake forms" in one room while announcing the march.

"All the BLOs are filling out fake forms in one room. The Election Commission says that so many people have died, but their list is not given... And tomorrow the MPs of the entire INDIA alliance, who are from all parties except the BJP and NDA alliance MPs, will march from the Parliament to the Election Commission's office..." he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police stated that the Opposition parties had sought no permission for the proposed march.

Govt On Bihar SIR 

Earlier, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the government was ready to carry out discussions on any issue under the rules, but the SIR could not be debated as it was a process carried out by a constitutional body.

Rijiju told ANI, "I want to clarify that the government is ready to hold discussions on any issue as per the rules. There cannot be a discussion on SIR because it is a process undertaken by a Constitutional body, and it is not happening for the first time..."

Rahul Gandhi Vs ECI

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday doubled down on his claims of "vote chori" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress MP linked his stand to a fight to "protect" democracy.

"Vote Chori is an attack on the foundational idea of 'one man, one vote'. A clean voter roll is imperative for free and fair elections. Our demand from the EC is clear - be transparent and release digital voter rolls so that people and parties can audit them. This fight is to protect our democracy," the Congress MP posted on X.

Meanwhile, the grand old party also said that it will hold a meeting of its general secretaries, in-charges, and frontal organisation heads on August 11 to discuss a nationwide campaign against "voter list manipulation and election fraud.

(with ANI inputs)