35 lakh names missing from Bihar voter list following Special Intensive Revision

The Election Commission reports that seven lakh voters have been documented in Bihar. Simultaneously, 36 lakh individuals have either relocated permanently or have not been accounted for.

Patna: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's voter list has uncovered a significant finding. The initial stage of the review showed that approximately 35 lakh voters in the state were absent. Subsequently, inquiries have been made regarding the accuracy of the voter list. Simultaneously, inquiries are being made regarding the SIR happening nationwide.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is undertaking a comprehensive update of the electoral lists in Bihar. In the initial phase, approximately 35 lakh voters are either absent or have permanently relocated from their registered addresses. Political parties are challenging the accuracy of the voter list. Following the update, the names of these 35 lakh voters will be removed from the list. The failure to find a substantial number of voters has revealed possible systemic problems in maintaining voter registration. The Election Commission reports that seven lakh voters have been documented in Bihar. Simultaneously, 36 lakh individuals have either relocated permanently or have not been accounted for. To date, 7.24 crore or 91.69 percent of voters have been tallied.

On June 24, the Election Commission announced it would conduct a comprehensive revision of the electoral rolls as part of its constitutional responsibility to ensure the integrity and security of the rolls. The Election Commission has begun it now. "Ensuring the accuracy of voter lists is essential for conducting transparent and equitable elections," the directive stated.

The Representation of the People Act, 1950, along with the Registration of Electoral Rolls, 1960, outlines the qualifications, procedures, and methods for creating electoral rolls. On June 24 of the previous month, the Election Commission instructed a special voter-focused revision (SIR) in Bihar. It is planned to occur from June 25 to July 26, 2025. The Election Commission states that the update is intended to eliminate fraudulent, unqualified, and duplicate registered voters from the voter lists. The opposition parties have claimed that the Election Commission is verifying people's citizenship surreptitiously through this special extensive revision.

Simultaneously, the opposition claims that this could serve as a pretext for systematically stripping people of their voting rights. Nonetheless, the Election Commission has guaranteed that if an individual is omitted from the electoral roll, it does not signify that their citizenship has terminated. The Election Commission has stated that, according to the law and Constitution, it has the authority to request documents pertaining to citizenship to ensure individuals can obtain 'voting rights'.