With the political stakes high in Bihar, the outcome of this drive could have far-reaching consequences for the upcoming electoral contest.
PATNA — A state-wide the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is currently underway in Bihar, even as it faces strong resistance from opposition parties and civil society groups who have raised concerns over its timing, intent, and potential implications.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar is progressing at a robust pace, with extensive participation from electoral officials, political party representatives, and thousands of volunteers working at the grassroots level to ensure no eligible voter is left out.
The exercise, launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI), is being described as a “Special Intensive Revision” and involves fresh door-to-door verification, collection of extensive documentation, and scrutiny of existing voter rolls. Officials claim the move aims to clean up electoral rolls by removing duplicates, correcting errors, and registering eligible new voters. However, critics allege that the exercise is politically motivated and may lead to disenfranchisement, particularly among marginalised communities.
The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress have termed the exercise “undemocratic and unnecessary” in a year leading up to the crucial Bihar Assembly elections. “This is an attempt to manipulate the voter base under the guise of cleansing the rolls,” said RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. “It particularly targets Dalits, Muslims, and poor voters who may not have access to documentation demanded during verification.”
Civil liberties organisations have also raised red flags over the ECI’s guidelines, which reportedly require birth certificates, land records, and school documents — paperwork that many rural and poor voters may find hard to produce.
This excercise is a back-door NRC which may disenfranshise a large number of people in Bihar, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi earlier alleged.
In a development that could significantly impact the upcoming high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections, a non-partisan electoral watchdog, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Saturday challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the poll-bound state.
The petition alleges that the ECI’s move is arbitrary and could potentially disenfranchise millions of voters.
ADR has urged the apex court to intervene, arguing that such an extensive revision exercise so close to the polls undermines the integrity of the democratic process.
In response, the ECI has reiterated that the revision exercise is routine and adheres to established protocols. “No eligible voter will be removed unjustly. The aim is to make the electoral rolls more accurate and inclusive,” an official from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bihar said, according to media reports.
Despite these assurances, the controversy around the revision continues to mount. In several districts, local reports suggest confusion among citizens, long queues outside verification centres, and fears of voter deletions.
Petitions have reportedly been filed in Patna High Court, seeking a stay on the exercise and demanding greater clarity on the procedure, the media reports say.
The revision process is expected to continue through July, with the final updated rolls likely to be published in early August. With the political stakes high in Bihar, the outcome of this drive could have far-reaching consequences for the upcoming electoral contest.
