Over 64,000 New Voter Registration Applications Filed in Bihar Within 10 Days of Draft Roll Release

Ten days after the publication of draft electoral rolls in Bihar, nearly 64,000 applications have been submitted for fresh voter registration, according to Election Commission (EC) data released on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

Uncertainty Over First-Time Voters

Out of the total 63,571 Form 6 applications filed, there is no clarity on how many belong to first-time voters who recently turned 18 and how many are from electors whose names were missing from the draft rolls published on August 1.

Form 6 is the application form for inclusion of names in electoral rolls. As per Rule 13(a) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1961, every claim for inclusion must be made through Form 6 and signed by the applicant. It is the primary form used by new voters aged 18 or above to register.

Political parties in Bihar have highlighted that people unable to find their names in the draft rolls are being directed by registration officials to fill Form 6.

This means even long-time voters, whose names were excluded from the draft list, must reapply using Form 6.

Consequently, when the updated rolls are published, their names will appear in the new voter’s column, making it nearly impossible to determine how many genuine first-time voters have been added versus returning electors.

Views of Former Election Commissioner

Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa explained that this issue arises because the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar is being treated as a de novo preparation of electoral rolls.

Names missing from the draft rolls are not considered deletions but rather cases requiring re-inclusion.

Lavasa noted, “In the usual process of revision of rolls, a notice is served on the person whose name is deleted, which is not considered necessary here by the ECI as per their statement to the court. It is only after the publication of the final electoral rolls on September 25 that the DEOs would consider appeals against the decision of EROs, and based on their decision, changes made in the electoral roll will be separately reflected.”

Supreme Court Monitoring the Process

On the same day, the Supreme Court heard petitions challenging the SIR exercise in Bihar.

Earlier, a Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi had warned the Election Commission that it would “not hesitate to act” if the revised electoral list showed “mass exclusions.”

Petitioners have argued that the SIR amounts to a form of “citizenship screening,” raising concerns about its impact on large sections of voters.

ADR’s Objections

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which previously challenged the EC’s June 24 directive ordering the SIR, recently filed a fresh application.

ADR requested that the poll panel publish the names of approximately 65 lakh voters whose names had been deleted, along with the reasons for their removal.

In its response, the EC stated that while lists of deleted voters had been shared with political parties, it was not obliged to provide a segregated list with reasons for each deletion.

The Commission further clarified that no names would be removed from the draft rolls without citing specific grounds for deletion.

Data on Applications and Objections

According to Tuesday’s EC data, 63,571 Form 6 applications with declarations were received from individuals registering upon attaining the age of 18 or above.

Additionally, 13,970 claims and objections were submitted directly by electors concerning the draft rolls, seeking inclusion of eligible voters and exclusion of ineligible ones. Of these, 341 cases have already been disposed of.

Awaiting Final Electoral Rolls

The controversy around Bihar’s voter list continues to intensify as the September 25 publication date for the final electoral rolls approaches.

The Supreme Court’s scrutiny, coupled with challenges from civil society groups like ADR, underscores the importance of transparency in the revision process.

For now, questions remain over how many fresh voters have genuinely been added and how many are long-time electors forced to reapply.