Opposition parties in Bihar marched on Thursday to demand that the 2025 Assembly polls be declared invalid. Led by Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc sought the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and a halt to the ongoing SIR. Yadav said, "The work of destroying the country's democracy has been done."

Stating that the EC had helped the BJP win in Bihar through a "fake election", Opposition parties in the state on Thursday demanded that the 2025 Assembly polls be declared invalid and elections be held afresh in the state.

The INDIA bloc parties also sought immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and a halt on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The demands were made in a memorandum submitted to Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) after a protest march led by RJD working president and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav. Besides the RJD, leaders and workers of the Congress, the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and Left outfits participated in the march.

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"The work of destroying the country's democracy has been done. By conducting a fake election, Gyanesh Kumar worked to make the BJP win," Yadav said. He alleged that those responsible for what he described as a "conspiracy against democracy" should be punished.

Calling Bihar the "motherland of democracy" Yadav said be it CEC Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah, no one could "erase democracy from the country".

He alleged that Kumar had been appointed to facilitate "vote theft".

Yadav also questioned the security arrangements during the protest, particularly the deployment of personnel carrying AK-47 rifles and the extensive barricading around the march route in Patna. He alleged that the administration's conduct reflected "dictatorship".

"Why such extensive security arrangements had been made when elected representatives wanted to meet the Governor after taking an appointment?" Yadav asked.

Earlier, Yadav along with RJD MP Misa Bharti, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee President Rajesh Ram, among others were detained.

The six demands listed in the memorandum include Kumar's immediate removal and registration of a criminal case against him; a halt to the SIR and restoration of the names of all voters removed from the electoral rolls; repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners; and an inquiry into the appointment and alleged role of Election Commission IT head Seema Khanna.

The memorandum was submitted to the Governor, to be further sent to President Droupadi Murmu.

The INDIA bloc also demanded that elections in the country be conducted using ballot papers.

Meanwhile, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Sarawagi's vehicle was surrounded by RJD workers when he arrived at Lok Bhawan to meet the Governor.