Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 22: The electoral roll revision in Bihar under the on-going “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) exercise has weeded out 52 lakh voters who are dead or migrated, the Election Commission of India said on Tuesday even when enumeration forms of 21.36 lakh electors are yet to be received by the poll body.
The ECI also assured that “all eligible electors are included in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1.” Of the 52 lakh names removed, 18 lakh are reported dead, 26 lakh voters have shifted to different constituencies, and 7 lakh are enrolled at two places, the Commission said two days before the draft lists are expected.
It also told the Supreme Court that a person would not cease to be a citizen merely on being found ineligible for registration in the electoral rolls under SIR. “Under the SIR exercise, the citizenship of an individual will not terminate on account of the fact that he/she is held to be ineligible for registration in the electoral rolls,” the EC said in an 88-page affidavit. The electoral body was responding to allegations raised by petitioners that SIR was “citizenship screening” and would lead to mass disenfranchisement.
Amid Opposition concerns about a chunk of voters being left out — that led to a massive row and a court case — the poll body has assured that there would be time to tweak the lists to include anyone who need to be included. “As per the SIR order dated 24.06.2025, from August 1 to September 1, 2025, a full one-month will be available to any member of the public to file objections for any additions, deletions and rectification in Draft Electoral Rolls,” the Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Commission has said each voter who submitted the enumeration form with or without documents would be included in the draft roll that would be published on August 1. If any voter has been unable to submit his enumeration forms, they can be included in the final rolls once they submit a claim in the prescribed form along with the declaration. After the completion of the entire process, the final roll will be published on September 30, it added. And even after the publication, new voters can be enrolled up to the last date of nominations, the Commission has said.
“The entire election machinery, including nearly 1 lakh BLOs, 4 lakh volunteers and 1.5 lakh BLAs appointed by the District Presidents of all the 12 major political parties in Bihar are working together to search those electors who are yet to submit their Enumeration Forms (EFs) or have not been found at their addresses,” it said.
The poll body has claimed that the SIR being conducted ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, is its constitutional duty. In court, where the matter is pending, the Commission has argued that the entire process is being conducted in a consistent and jurisdictional manner, citing the powers conferred under Article 324 of the Constitution.
According to the ECI data, out of a total of 7,89,69,844 electors in the State, forms have been received from 7,16,04,102 voters, while 52,30,126 electors were not found at their registered addresses. As per the ECI’s statement, 18,66,869 individuals are likely deceased, 7,50,742 are enrolled at multiple locations, 26,01,031 are believed to have permanently shifted, and 11,484 could not be traced.
Chief Electoral Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, and BLOs have also held meetings with representatives of political parties, sharing lists of the 21.36 lakh electors whose forms are pending and nearly 52.30 lakh who are reportedly deceased, permanently shifted, or enrolled at multiple places.
The ECI explained that the “guidelines issued for SIR are constitutional and in the interest of maintaining the purity of electoral rolls… However, it is reiterated that determination of non-eligibility of anyone under Article 326 [adult suffrage] will not lead to cancellation of citizenship.” The EC affidavit made it clear that voters who were already part of the existing 2025 electoral rolls of Bihar would feature in the draft roll to be published on August 1, provided they submitted their enumeration forms, with or without documents.
The existing electoral rolls were published in Bihar on January 7, 2025 after a special summary revision of the electoral rolls. “In substance, each elector included in the 2025 electoral roll shall form part of the draft roll merely on submission of the enumeration form,” the affidavit stated.
Though the Supreme Court had asked the EC to consider including Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards in the list of 11 indicative documents to register voters, the EC said they cannot be accepted as “standalone documents” for the purpose of SIR. “Aadhaar is merely a proof of identity. The card itself carries a disclaimer that it is not a proof of citizenship,” the affidavit said.
The poll body pointed to the “widespread issuance of bogus ration cards” making the document untrustworthy. As for Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC), the EC reasoned that they were prepared on the basis of electoral rolls. “Since the electoral roll itself is being revised de novo, the production of EPICs will make the whole exercise futile,” the affidavit said.
