Chaos Erupts in Bihar Assembly as Opposition Protests EC’s Electoral Roll Review
The Election Commission of India (EC) has announced the removal of 52 lakh voters from Bihar’s electoral rolls as part of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The Commission stated that these voters were either deceased, had migrated, or had duplicate entries. The updated draft electoral roll is set to be published on August 1, with the assurance that all eligible voters will be included.
Breakdown of Removed Voter Entries
According to the EC, the 52 lakh names removed from the list include 18 lakh deceased voters, 26 lakh who have shifted to other constituencies, and 7 lakh with entries in multiple locations.
These revisions come just days before the draft electoral rolls are released. The EC has clarified that voters still have time to get included or correct their details.
Window for Public Objections and Claims
The EC, referring to the SIR order dated June 24, 2025, confirmed that from August 1 to September 1, citizens will be allowed to file objections related to additions, deletions, or corrections.
“All eligible electors who submitted enumeration forms with or without documents will be part of the draft roll,” the EC said. Those who have not yet submitted their forms may still be included in the final rolls upon submission of claims in the prescribed format.
The final electoral roll will be published on September 30. The Commission also added that even after the final list, new voters may register until the last date for filing nominations.
Joint Efforts to Ensure Inclusion
The poll body stated that approximately 1 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs), 4 lakh volunteers, and 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from 12 major political parties in Bihar are working to identify eligible voters who are yet to submit Enumeration Forms (EFs) or were not found at their listed addresses.
The EC reaffirmed that the SIR process is a constitutional responsibility and is being carried out within the jurisdiction under Article 324 of the Constitution.
In response to legal challenges and opposition concerns, the EC emphasized that the process follows legal and procedural norms.
Political Parties Involved in Voter Outreach
On July 21, the Commission stated that detailed lists of 29.62 lakh voters who have not submitted their forms and 43.93 lakh voters who were not found at their registered addresses were shared with political parties.
Meetings were held between Chief Electoral Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, BLOs, and representatives from the 12 political parties.
The Commission encouraged the parties to help reach these electors through district presidents and BLAs.
“This joint mission-mode effort aims to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the draft electoral roll,” the EC noted.
Key Figures from the Ongoing Revision
As of June 24, Bihar had a total of 7.89 crore registered voters. Data released by the EC shows:
90.67% of voters (7.16 crore) submitted their enumeration forms
5.56% were not found at their addresses
2.1% were identified as probably deceased
0.95% had entries in multiple places
2.3% had permanently shifted
0.01% could not be traced
According to the Commission, 7.68 crore voters (approximately 97.30%) have been covered through either form submission or field verification. The remaining 2.70%, around 21.35 lakh voters, are yet to be verified.
Bihar Leads in Polling Station Expansion
Bihar has also become the first state to meet the goal of maintaining one polling station for every 1,200 voters or fewer. The previous ceiling was 1,500 voters per polling station.
As per the SIR order from June 24, 12,817 new polling stations have been added.
This increases the total number of polling stations in Bihar from 77,895 to 90,712. The EC aims to implement this model across other states and union territories.
Final Steps Ahead of Draft Release
The EC has also shared the list of the 52.30 lakh names removed with all recognised political parties in Bihar to maintain transparency.
As the draft rolls are set to be published on August 1, a full month has been allotted for citizens to raise objections or file claims.
The Special Intensive Revision is part of the Commission’s larger mission to ensure a clean, accurate, and inclusive voter list ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections.
