THE JD(U) MP from Banka in Bihar, Giridhari Yadav, is known to speak his mind. On Wednesday, he broke ranks with his party and its ally BJP to criticise the Election Commission’s (EC) ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar just ahead of the Assembly elections, referring to it as a “Tughlaqi farman (ill-conceived diktat)”. In an interview with The Indian Express, Yadav speaks on the issues with the SIR and its potential outcome. Excerpts:

* The Opposition is protesting against the SIR in Bihar. How do you see it?

My first point is there is very little time given by the EC for such a humongous exercise. This is a time for farming in Bihar, people are busy with agricultural work. But you are making them run around for documents. This is also a time when parts of the state face floods. Villages get washed away. These people struggle to get their lives together. It is a bad time to do such an exercise.