The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the matter of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar, with a focus on the exclusion of names from the electoral lists. The issue has sparked controversy and criticism from the opposition, who allege unfair practices by the government and the Election Commission in the lead-up to the Bihar assembly elections.
The Election Commission presented its stance to the Supreme Court, maintaining that it is not legally required to release a separate list of individuals who were removed from the draft voter list. The Commission explicitly stated that it would not be publishing such a list. Furthermore, the Election Commission asserted that under the existing rules, it is not obligated to provide reasons for the exclusion of names from the draft electoral roll.
The Election Commission clarified that it had already shared the draft electoral roll with political parties. Individuals whose names were not included in the initial draft have the option to submit declarations to be added. The Election Commission has also opposed a request from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which sought the release of a list of excluded voters and the justifications behind their removal.
The Election Commission filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court. In this affidavit, the Commission assured the court that no eligible voter’s name will be removed from the electoral roll without proper notification, a hearing, and a justified order. It stated that all possible measures are being taken to ensure that all eligible voters are included in the final electoral roll.
To prevent improper removals during the SIR process, the Election Commission has issued stringent directives. The Commission informed the Supreme Court that, out of a total of 78.9 million voters, 72.4 million individuals have either confirmed their details or submitted the necessary forms. This undertaking involved a wide network of officials, including the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, Booth Level Officers (BLOs), volunteers, and booth-level agents.
Political parties have been provided with updated lists of missing voters to aid in their inclusion. Support for migrant workers included advertisements, online and offline form submission options, special camps in urban centers, and pre-registration arrangements for young voters.
The ADR has raised concerns about the potential wrongful exclusion of 6.5 million voters. The Supreme Court requested that the Election Commission file an affidavit, and the next hearing is scheduled for August 13. The initial draft voter list was published on August 1, 2025, following a comprehensive process of door-to-door verification conducted by BLOs.
Despite the draft voter list publication and the invitation for objections, no formal objections have been submitted by any political party. The opposition continues to express concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process.
