Story so far: Four months ago Bihar state electionThe Election Commission of India (ECI) has closed a special intensive amendment (SIR) of the electoral roll in the state. The purpose of the exercise of the head is to ensure that no eligible citizen is released, while no unqualified person is included in the electoral role. ‘Calculation Drive started from 1 July, will see the final role on September 30 after the draft electoral rolls and claims and objections published on 1 August.
Also read: Bihar voter list line hearing update
“20% of the population, which migrates in search of livelihood, is in danger of losing its voting rights. Exclusion rather than incorporating the purpose of this practice,” the nation warned. Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi questioned whether the amendment of more than eight crore voters could be done in only two months, asking, “2003 amendment was well organized before the national and state elections. Why choose to do so in the elections of elections?”
Answer to concerns, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanash Kumar assured The amendment being made after the interval of 22 years is running according to the schedule with active participation of all political parties. ECI also uploaded Bihar’s 2003 electoral rolls, including 4.96 crore voters details – thus abolishing the need for any documentation from them. In addition, people born after 1987 do not require evidence of their parents’ birth if the latter name figure in the role of 2003.
Here is a look at the head, its history, intentions and effects
What is sir and how is it being held?
Applying the representation of Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People’s Act, 1950, the ECI has directed the ‘Amendment’ of the electoral rolls in Bihar, marked as a qualifying date on 1 July, 2025. Divided into several stages, physical verification of eligible voters of Bihar in SIR, reorganization of polling stations, preparation of revised electoral rolls, decisions on claims and decisions to be decided.
Here is a breakdown
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Trained booth level officers (BLO) will distribute, help existing voters (4.89 crore) to fill the calculation forms to visit door-to-door. Blos will also collect calculation forms and recommend on each form. Last date to submit on 25 July 2025.
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Voting booths will be re -arranged as per the requirement and the boundaries of the constituencies will be finalized. There should not be more than 1200 voters in each voting.
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The electoral rolls will be updated according to the filled calculation forms and a draft electoral roll will be published on 1 August 2025.
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Between 1 August and 1 September, any objections or claim draft is in response to the electoral role, he can file them
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By 25 September, a decision will be taken on the claims filed along with the filled calculation forms.
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The final election role will be updated in the database and published on September 30, 2025
During the calculation, people who already facilitate the 2003 electoral rolls need to submit their filled calculation forms. Have to provide others One of eleven listed documents As evidence. These government employees card/pension order, ID Priyorto issued by any government, 1 July 1987, birth certificate, passport, recognized educational certificate, permanent residence certificate, forest rights certificate, caste certificate by a competent authority, civil register, family register or any land/house allocation certificate by the government.
Commonly used IDs such as voters ID, PAN, Aadhaar, ration card and MGNREGA cards do not facilitate. However, A Supreme Court Bench heard arguments against head practice The ECI asked that these commonly used IDs are considered as proof.
John Suraj Party (JSP)-A Bihar based party established by Pal Strategist Prashant Kishore has questioned the odd option of necessary documents. Mr. Uday Singh said to JSP National President, “People who do not have a roof on their heads are expected to expect to keep the birth certificate of their dead parents with them.” Hindu,
“Documents that are the easiest to reach the Aadhaar card, labor card or MGNREGA card, not listed. Bihar has the lowest birth registration rate and poor literacy. These citizens are expected to produce passports, birth certificates (above the above ID evidence),” Says Mr. Singh.
The social indices of Bihar were highlighted, Akhtar Iman, Akhil Bharat Majlis-e-Itihadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) The President of Bihar says, “In 1987, birth registration was only 2%, it all increased to 15%and now, when the national average is not 62%, we have 40%population, labits, labits, labits, labits, labits, labors, labores Like an attempt to do ”.
In response, ECI issued advertisements in Patna On July 6, newspapers told voters, “If you are unable to provide the necessary documents, the Election Registration Officer (ERO) can take a decision based on local investigation or other documentary evidence.”
“What ECI says that both are confident and worrying. It is not a new power given to the ERO, it has always been. However, it gives rise to a doubt that if ERO is allowed to use its conscience, whether it will be bothered to a section of society or not. Jaan Suraj Party can become a dialogue at a point if necessary.
As the opposition highlighted that this rest under the ‘pressure under which ECI was’, the pole body said that voters would get more time to submit the documents.
When were the first electoral roles revised?
ECI has said that like this Sir was held earlier 1952-56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983-84, 1987-89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004, in all or parts of the country for new preparation of electoral roles.
In Bihar, the last head was held in 2003. As is the case in the current drive, the head was done in 31 days, without today’s technical assistance. In addition, before the elections, the electoral rolls were revised according to the regular cycle in 2005. Bihar EC alone found 70,000 ‘duplicate names’ in Patna, and people with non-bailable warrants who were depicted in electoral roles were removed during this process, Hindu,
“In 2002-2003, the head was held two years before the election. Why are they now operating this head just 3-4 months before the elections? Why are legal voters being asked to produce their birth certificate in 2002? There is no need to show the three types of documents and their parents’ birth certificate required for those after 1987, 2003 and 2004.
“I am from Bihar and do not have a birth certificate. How can you expect laborers working in other states. Labor Union across India is opposing this head.” Hindu,
The latest amendment of the electoral rolls was made in the special summary amendment drive between June 2024 and January 2025. A final draft of the electoral role was published in January this year, while a supplementary amendment was published in April.
“Every election cycle in India begins with Bihar and ends with Delhi. Therefore, which is responsible for not removing fake voters from the electoral rolls? It is EC. This is the question of why Sir, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2024 Why was not done before the Lok Sabha elections”, asks the senior strategist of I-Packs.
Who can benefit from the head?
The JSP claims that his party is not questioning the powers of the EC to do so, Mr. Singh says, “When you had 2024 elections and no one had complained about ghost voters here. Therefore, it is now eager for EC to wake up, when the rain is suffering from Bihar”.
Given that former Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the elections should not be kept in extreme summer, Mr. Singh says that the weather plays a role in the voting process. He says, “But now, the new Election Commissioner feels that all this has been forgotten. Half of my kingdom is now under water, people are going to high land and shelters and this (sir) is now happening. Most of Biharis work outside the state and this verification is cruel to expect physically here”.
While the electoral roll in India has always included more than 18 years of people from its general residence, this time EC is looking at the place of birth. An I-PAC strategist explains: “Now, they are giving priority to the place of birth-an American concept. In India, there is a need to be a citizen, not born here to stand up for the election,” he says.
Aimim feels that it will help Sir NDA. “If there was suspicion of bogus voting in the 2024 elections, were the results not verified? If the 2024 elections were all accepted fairly as all, why is 2025 elections not allowed and then operate one head?”
The AIMIM chief also said that EC has allowed BLO to try three trips to a voter’s house to verify its details and make a recommendation accordingly. “This is the first time the citizenship of a voter is under investigation. When did EC get powers to question a person’s citizenship?”, He asks.
Similarly, senior strategist of I-PAC feels that this is the Mahagath Bond that will be excluded through the head for its voters. “Generally, BJP voters are from urban, upper caste and upper-middle class communities. Extremely backward class voters (EBC), JD (U) and Jaan Suraj’s goal are voter groups and are also in a threatened place. Also, it is not a Hindu-Muslim thing, but usually voters are in danger at social level.”
Fear of NRC
Most parties and poll strategists fear that SIR may try to operate a state-wide NRC in Bihar-opposed to a step. In addition, NRC is listed as one of the eleven documents that prove the eligibility of voters.
“When the NRC is not operated in Bihar, why is it listed? 70% of Bihari youth are currently working as farm laborers in Punjab and Haryana. 7-8 districts are now flooded in North Bihar. We are afraid that we are afraid of the door behind NRC, try to discriminate against the poor and discriminate against the poor.
Claiming that the poor and backward voters of the NDA are also protesting against Sir, they are facing a ‘Tughlaqi Farman’ (dictatorial order) to harass voters.
Says strategists, “All major stake-holders should have been consulted before this type of drive is held. For electoral improvement, EC should understand the ground reality, build a consensus downwards and then apply. Currently, it is being pushed quickly and in a dictatorial fashion,” says strategists. He says that Bloos are also not facing tremendous pressure and they are not getting any support from the ground.
“While the main objective seems to be electoral reforms, we cannot reject the possibility of a back-door NRC. Kindhng, Araria, Katiyar, voters in the seaman field and people close to ‘chicken neck’ (areas with the border of North-Eastern states) can be targeted,” the senior strategists of the i-pack say. Sir, marking the risks of ‘Mass Disinfrangement’ through Sir, S.The UPREME Court is currently hearing petitions challenging the drive.
