Electoral Roll Revision in Bihar: 35.6 Lakh Voters at Risk
As the July 25 deadline approaches for submission of enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the Election Commission of India has disclosed that around 35.6 lakh voters may be excluded from the final list.
Concerns and Findings
Despite conducting three rounds of field verification, the Commission reported that 4.5 per cent of electors, equivalent to 35.69 lakh individuals, were not located at their registered addresses.
Among them, 12.5 lakh voters have been confirmed deceased, 17.5 lakh have permanently moved, and 5.5 lakh are registered at multiple locations, raising worries of duplication and ineligibility.
Submission Status
While 88.6 per cent of enumeration forms have been received by the Commission, approximately 54 lakh voters out of Bihar’s 7.89 crore total are yet to submit their forms. Only 6.85 per cent of voters remain for completion and are urged to do so by the deadline to avoid exclusion.
Transparency Measures
EC has taken a significant step towards transparency by sharing the details of 35.6 lakh voters with political parties since July 17. This allows parties to verify voter status to prevent erroneous deletions from the rolls.
Political Reactions
Amid the controversy, political figures like Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee have criticized the process. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of targeting certain groups, while BJP’s Tom Vadakkan defended the actions.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of manipulating voter rolls and vowed to fight back in the upcoming elections.
