List of ‘dead’, ‘migrated’ Bihar voters being shared with parties, booth-level agents: EC

The Election Commission on Friday said that it was sharing data of Bihar voters who are ‘probably’ dead or have shifted permanently with district chiefs of political parties and 1.5 lakh booth-level agents appointed by them, to find out the exact status of such voters.In the meantime, it is also rechecking the data under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

“Lists of electors who are probably deceased, permanently shifted, have enrolled at multiple places or have not returned the enumeration forms (EFs) even after multiple visits of BLOs, are now being shared with district presidents of political parties and 1.5 lakh BLAs appointed by them, to ascertain the exact status of each such elector before July 25,” the EC said in its statement.

As per the SIR order, each of the 1.5 lakh BLAs can submit up to 50 forms a day after certifying them. After disposing claims and objections till September 25, 2025, the final electoral roll will be published on September 30, 2025, it added.

Printed and digital copies of the final electoral roll will again be given free of cost to all recognised political parties and will be published on the EC website.

The poll panel said any elector aggrieved by any decision of the electoral roll officer (ERO) may appeal to the district magistrate and the chief electoral officer thereafter under Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950.

While the final electoral roll will be published on September 30, the EROs will publish the draft electoral roll on August 1, and invite suggestions/inputs for correction of any entry in the draft roll, it added.

“In accordance with the SIR order dated June 24, 2025, a full one month (from June 25 till July 26) will be given to political parties and public to point out requirement of any correction, or propose inclusion of any left-out names. Therefore, the public may remain assured that no eligible elector will be left out,” the EC said.

According to figures released by the EC on Friday, the number of “probably” deceased electors stood at 12,71,414 (1.61 per cent), the “probably” permanently shifted voters at 18,16,306 (2.3 per cent), while electors identified as enrolled at multiple places stood at 5,92,273 (0.75 per cent)

This amounts to roughly 35.5 lakh voters. The EC had earlier said that these voters would be removed after further verification. The announcement had led to a political brouhaha, forcing the panel to announce that it was re-verifying the figures, which it was initially confident about.