The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls has sparked a political storm after figures revealed a massive gap between exclusions and inclusion requests. While the Election Commission of India (ECI) struck off around 65 lakh names citing migration, deaths, duplication, or voters not being found at their registered addresses, only about 30,000 people applied to get their names reinstated during the month-long correction window that ended on September 1.

In contrast, over two lakh applications were filed for deletions, raising eyebrows over the scale of removals. The draft rolls, released on August 1, invited claims and objections from both individuals and political parties until September 1. Now, the final electoral list is set to be published on September 30, ahead of the state Assembly elections due in November.

Congress vs Election Commission

The Congress has taken a combative stance, claiming it submitted nearly 89 lakh complaints to the ECI, complete with stamped receipts, against the exclusions. This sharply contradicts the Commission’s assertion that there were “zero complaints” against the SIR process.

However, the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar pushed back, stating that the Congress did not follow the prescribed process of filing objections through the mandated forms, rendering its submissions invalid.

Supreme Court Intervention

The matter has now reached the Supreme Court, where the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other parties have petitioned for an extension of the claim-filing deadline to allow more excluded voters to reapply. On the final day of the claims window, the Court directed the ECI to accept Aadhaar or any of the 11 other specified identity documents for inclusion applications, ensuring flexibility for those struggling with paperwork.

Meanwhile, the ECI has urged the Court to trust its handling of the process, insisting that 99.11% of Bihar’s 7.24 crore electors have already verified their documents during the SIR exercise.

Why Were Names Deleted?

According to the ECI, the 65 lakh deletions fall into four main categories:

Migration: 25 lakh voters shifted residence.

Deceased: 22 lakh names were removed.

Not found at address: 9.7 lakh were missing during verification.

Duplication: 7 lakh appeared in multiple constituencies.

Booth-level agents of political parties also took part in the process, submitting a small number of claims — 25 for inclusion and 103 for exclusion.

Public Perception

Despite the controversy, a majority of respondents in the India Today–CVoter Mood of the Nation survey viewed the revision as a necessary safeguard. About 58% of respondents said the SIR was meant to ensure only eligible citizens vote. However, 17% suspected the exercise was designed to benefit the ruling party, while 12% questioned the timing.

What Lies Ahead

As Bihar heads toward a crucial election, the credibility of its voter rolls will be under close watch. For the Election Commission, the challenge is to balance accessibility for genuine voters with safeguards against fraudulent or duplicate entries. For political parties, the stakes are high: every name struck off or added could make a difference in November’s results.