PATNA, Sept. 14 -- Buoyed by a "perceived victory" in challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the Supreme Court mandating process modifications, the Congress party in Bihar is devising a robust strategy to prevent 'vote theft' in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, expected in October-November 2025. The party aims to train a group of party workers under the guidance of election-related experts to arm them with technical wherewithal to monitor polling stations and counter administrative manipulations, such as voter list discrepancies or fraudulent voting. This initiative builds on Congress' recent Voter Adhikar Yatra, which raised voter awareness about electoral malpractices. Bihar, a key battleground, will serve as the testing ground for this "foolproof mechanism," as stated by Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan and emphasised collaboration with coalition partners to ensure fair elections, accusing the ECI of favouring the NDA. The strategy includes real-time monitoring, legal rapid-response teams and tech tools for reporting irregularities, drawing inspiration from global best practices in election oversight. At a recent meeting with Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram, one of the former MLA dropped the idea to raise a distinctive wing of party workers, mostly youth familiar with technical understanding, at the booth-levels. "We are planning to prepare at least two-three trained workers at each booth to keep watch on polling activities. The matter will be discussed at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) level, as the activities required funding support. Once the mechanism is raised, the same can be replicated in other states as well," said Khan, adding that trained party workers would be deployed for surveillance of activities around the strongroom, where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are voting before counting. As part of the initial strategy to counter the "bias" approach of the ECI during the SIR, the Congress party had devised an alternative way to lodge their objections in the electoral rolls, after it began rejecting the complaints raised by the party through the stipulated format. "Our district presidents had stepped in and helped the people to enrol themselves in the voter list and get the receipt duly signed by the local ECI bodies. Our district presidents had submitted lakhs of forms for enrolments of new voters and correction of irregularities during the SIR," claimed the BPCC president. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), over 20% of voter lists in past Bihar elections contained errors, underscoring the need for vigilance. Congress's approach aligns with recommendations from the ADR's 2024 report, advocating grassroots monitoring and voter education to enhance electoral integrity. By showcasing Bihar as a model for fair elections, Congress aims to set a national precedent, though challenges like resource constraints and biased approach of ECI....