The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft voter list for Bihar, marking a key step in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Citizens now have until September 1 to file claims and objections regarding the list.
The ECI assured that “no name will be removed without a valid reason” and emphasized transparency by stating that the draft has already been shared with all recognized political parties across Bihar’s 38 districts.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar also reminded electors that both digital and physical copies of the draft rolls have been made available. Citizens can access them online at https://voters.eci.gov.in and at local electoral offices.
From August 1 to September 1, voters or political party representatives can request:
- Addition of eligible but missing names
- Removal of ineligible electors
- Correction of incorrect entries
The draft list follows a month-long enumeration drive (June 24–July 25), during which over 91.69% of Bihar’s 7.89 crore registered voters submitted their forms. The exercise was described by the EC as a “massive and successful citizen participation effort.”
Booth Level Officers (BLOs), volunteers, and political party workers played a crucial role by conducting door-to-door verification in three rounds, with special focus on first-time voters, urban populations, and migrants.
The EC clarified that deletions from the rolls will only be made through written orders from Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and in compliance with SIR guidelines.
The revision also revealed that around 35 lakh electors are either untraceable or have permanently migrated, a point that has attracted judicial scrutiny.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court scheduled hearings for August 12 and 13 on multiple petitions challenging the SIR process. The court acknowledged concerns over the alleged exclusion of up to 65 lakh voters, and stated it would intervene if large-scale exclusions are confirmed.
In the meantime, the apex court urged the ECI to consider accepting Aadhaar and EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) as valid identity proofs for voter verification. However, it declined to halt the publication of the draft list.
The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a fair and inclusive electoral process as Bihar heads towards polls.