Bihar Draft Electoral Roll Shows Drop of 6.5 Million Voters, Sparking Opposition Concern
The Election Commission of India has published a draft electoral roll for Bihar showing 65 lakh fewer voters than the list published in January 2025. The ECI attributes the reduction to deaths, permanent migration, and duplicate entries. However, opposition parties in the state have raised alarms about potential mass disenfranchisement ahead of assembly elections. They have questioned the process and demanded detailed data on the excluded names, escalating concerns over the integrity of the voter revision exercise.
Unpacked:
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a review of Bihar’s electoral rolls launched by the Election Commission of India to ensure the voter list only includes eligible citizens. It was initiated to remove ineligible entries, such as those who have died, migrated, or are duplicates, ahead of the 2025 assembly elections to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
Voters who find their names excluded can submit claims and objections during a designated period after the draft roll's publication. The Election Commission has provided a 30-day timeframe for such appeals, allowing excluded individuals to add their names or correct details by submitting required documentation.
Opposition parties allege that the large-scale removal of names could result in mass disenfranchisement, potentially affecting electoral outcomes. They argue the process may not be transparent and have demanded detailed data on exclusions, questioning whether legitimate voters are being unfairly removed.
The Supreme Court is overseeing the revision process following petitions about mass exclusion. It has allowed the draft roll’s publication and warned it will intervene if irregularities occur. The Court suggested using multiple forms of identification—Aadhaar, ration, and voter ID cards—for proper verification and scheduled further hearings to monitor the process.