7.24 cr voters, 65 lakh dropped: EC out with Bihar draft rolls

The Election Commission on Friday released the draft electoral rolls in Bihar, enlisting 7.24 crore voters after knocking off more than 65 lakh names, claiming that most of the persons concerned had died or migrated.

The draft electoral rolls, prepared as part of the special intensive revision (SIR), which has caused much controversy as the exercise was ordered with just a few months left for Assembly polls, are available for voters online.

To assuage the common man's concern over deletion of their names, the poll panel said no name could be deleted without proper hearing and a written order. Even the written order by electoral officers, was appealable with the district magistrate and CEO, it said.

The EC said anomalies, if any, could be flagged during the claims and objections phase, which would continue till September 1 before the final rolls were published.

The clarification comes amid escalating political tensions, with opposition parties, led by the Congress, stalling Parliament for over a week demanding a discussion on the issue. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is set to undertake a weeklong “padyatra” in Bihar, while INDIA bloc parties plan to gherao the EC office in Delhi on August 8, over SIR and alleged irregularities in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The draft rolls, along with booth-wise lists for all 90,712 polling stations across Bihar’s 243 Assembly constituencies, have been shared with political parties. Voters have been urged to verify their names and submit Form 6 if corrections or additions are needed. Young voters who have turned or will turn 18 by October 1, 2025, have also been told to get themselves registered.

The SIR exercise, conducted from June 25 to July 26, saw over 7.24 crore voters submitting enumeration forms. However, opposition parties allege discrepancies, claiming that many forms were improperly filled or completed by booth level officers (BLOs) on behalf of voters. They argue that the revision disproportionately targets marginalised communities, including Dalits and migrant workers.

The matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court, which has reserved its verdict.