Tejashwi Yadav mulls boycotting Bihar polls over SIR, says 'no point in holding elections when people can't vote'

Tejashwi said there was no point in participating in the elections where voters will be denied their voting rights.

The former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister said he would also discuss the boycott option with allies.

"Lakhs of voters are being deleted from the voter list. When they voted for Modi-ji, it was alright but now it has turned into a problem. When cheating is almost certain, then we may consider the option of boycotting the polls.

"What's the point in holding elections if people are denied their voting rights? We as Mahagathbandhan can discuss and consider boycotting the polls," the RJD leader said.

RJD heads the opposition coalition Mahagathbandhan comprising Congress, which is the primary opposition force in the country.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the ECI of "cheating" claiming he had "100 percent proof" of the poll body's "cheating in a Karnataka seat".

Rahul claimed "thousands and thousands" of people in their 50s have been added to the voter list, alleging voter fraud by the ECI.

Speaking to the reporters, the Congress leader said, "It's a serious matter. The Election Commission is not functioning as the Election Commission of India... The fact of the matter is the Election Commission is not doing its job.

"Now we have concrete, 100 percent proof of the Election Commission allowing cheating in a seat in Karnataka. We just looked at just one constituency and we found this. I am absolutely convinced that this is the drama that is taking place in each constituency."

"Thousands and thousands of new voters aged 50, 55, 60, 65 are in one constituency. Voter deletion and addition are taking place. So we have caught that. The Election Commission is mistaken if it thinks its office will get away with this because we are going to come for you," the LoP added.

Rahul and other opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav protested in Parliament premises against the SIR, which is currently underway in Bihar that goes to assembly elections later this year.

Contradicting with the Supreme Court's suggestions, the ECI has opposed the inclusion of Aadhaar cards, Voter ID and Ration cards in the list of documents eligible for the poll body's voter revision drive.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, the ECI said the three IDs can't be relied upon as Aadhaar is merely an identity proof, a number of fake Ration Cards are available in the country and considering the existing voter card will make the initiative meaningless.

The ECI has, however, said one's citizenship won't be terminated on the basis of one's name not featuring in the electoral rolls.

The poll body said it did not violate any law or infringe the fundamental rights of citizens by conducting the exercise.

The Supreme Court on July 10 told the ECI that three IDs- Aadhaar, Voter and Ration- must be valid for its controversial voter list verification drive in Bihar.

The top court bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi has questioned the timing of its SIR as the Bihar elections are just months away.

The next hearing is due to be held on July 28.