The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reported receiving 23,557 claims and objections to the draft voter list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, with 741 already resolved. Notably, no political party submitted any claims or objections within the initial 14-day period, the poll body stated in a press release on Thursday.
The ECI also received 87,966 applications from new voters aged 18 or above, including six from the Booth Level Agents System (BLAS). Under SIR guidelines, any name deletion from the draft list—published on August 1, 2025—requires a formal “speaking order” from the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant ERO after due inquiry and fair hearing.
The final voter list for poll-bound Bihar will be published after the one-month claims and objections period.
Earlier data showed that, as of Wednesday, 17,665 complaints had been filed by electors, with 341 resolved, alongside 74,525 applications from new voters.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is hearing multiple petitions challenging the SIR process. During Tuesday’s proceedings, the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi noted that Aadhaar is not definitive proof of citizenship and affirmed that inclusion or exclusion from electoral rolls falls within the ECI’s jurisdiction.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, argued that nearly 65 lakh voters were excluded from the draft list without valid objections—an action he claimed was unlawful. The bench responded that excluded individuals must apply for inclusion, at which point objections can be addressed, and dismissed arguments that most Bihar residents lack the documents sought by the ECI.