NEW DELHI — Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, demanding an urgent discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls underway in Bihar. He described the process as “undemocratic, opaque, and exclusionary,” warning that it could disenfranchise millions — especially Dalits, backward classes, minorities, and migrant workers.
The SIR, launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 24, requires voters to submit extensive documentation — such as birth certificates or passports—to prove their citizenship. However, Tagore pointed out that only 2.8% of Biharis born between 2001 and 2005 possess birth certificates, making the requirement unrealistic and discriminatory toward a large segment of young and economically disadvantaged voters.
“The exercise poses a serious threat to the constitutional right to vote, especially for communities already facing systemic marginalisation,” Tagore said in his notice submitted under Rule 56 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha.
Opaque process, Legal concerns raised
Highlighting the lack of transparency, the Congress MP alleged that voters’ names have been arbitrarily removed from the rolls without any prior intimation or due process, particularly in sensitive districts like Seemanchal, which have high concentrations of minorities and migrant labourers.
“There is a pattern of names being deleted, triggering fear and confusion. This seems less like a voter verification drive and more like a political manoeuvre to reshape the electorate,” Tagore claimed.
He further raised constitutional and legal concerns, noting that the ECI’s stated aim of identifying “illegal migrants” oversteps its jurisdiction. “Citizenship determination lies exclusively with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ECI’s actions risk violating Articles 14, 19, 21, and 326 of the Constitution,” he said, citing precedents and pending petitions in the Supreme Court, including those filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Timing and logistical hurdles
The motion also criticised the timing of the SIR, launched during Bihar’s monsoon season, which has brought widespread flooding and mobility issues. Tagore pointed out that 100,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were needed for the process, but nearly 20,000 positions remain vacant, and many BLOs have received “inadequate training.”
“The Supreme Court itself has questioned the practicality of conducting such an exercise just months before the state elections, highlighting its impractical and rushed nature,” Tagore said.
Documentation confusion and allegations of bias
Initially, commonly used documents like Aadhaar, voter ID cards, and ration cards were excluded from acceptable proofs for verification. This left many voters unsure about how to comply. Although the ECI later relaxed the rules, confusion persists. As of early July, only 14% of voters had submitted the required forms.
Tagore alleged that the revision may be politically motivated to suppress voting by communities that are less likely to support the ruling coalition in Bihar. “Such a targeted exercise violates the democratic principle of free and fair elections, and must be stopped immediately,” he said.
Congress demands immediate suspension
In his statement, Tagore echoed the party’s top leadership. “As Shri Rahul Gandhi and Shri Mallikarjun Kharge have already warned, this appears to be a deliberate attempt to manipulate the voter base ahead of the elections,” he said.
The Congress MP has demanded an immediate suspension of the SIR and called for a comprehensive review of the process in consultation with all stakeholders to ensure that no eligible voter is denied their right to participate in the democratic process.
As the Bihar Assembly elections approach, this move is expected to intensify political tensions and scrutiny over the role of the Election Commission, with opposition parties likely to rally around the issue of voter rights and electoral integrity.
