Only 1.2 lakh of 65 lakh left out Bihar voters file claims

Even as 65 lakh voters in Bihar face the prospect of being deleted from the electoral rolls after September 1 -- the deadline for filing claims and objections -- only 1,21,143 voters had come forward to lodge complaints by August 24. This means that just 0.16 per cent of the state’s 7.24 crore voters have filed objections regarding inclusion and exclusion of their names in the draft rolls.

Data released by Election Commission (EC) on Sunday also reported that only 10 objections had been submitted by political parties, all of them from the CPI(ML) Liberation. The commission has described the response from political parties regarding objections to the draft electoral list, which was uploaded on August 1, as poor.

Opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress and Left groups, have countered these claims by alleging that when their booth-level officers (BLOs) approach district authorities to record objections, they are turned away.

The opposition has consistently claimed that the special intensive revision (SIR) is intended to exclude poor, migrant and Dalit voters from the electoral rolls. They further allege that the EC is colluding with the ruling BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to influence the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is currently leading a “Vote Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar to highlight these concerns over voter rights.

According to the EC, the 65 lakh voters flagged for deletion include 22 lakh deceased individuals, besides those who have permanently relocated and those registered at more than one address.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the EC said according to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bihar, 98.2 per cent of individuals had submitted their SIR documents in the last 60 days between June 24 and August 24. The commission affirmed that the process was on schedule.

All claims and objections received are set to be reviewed and eligibility documents verified by the relevant electoral registration officers and assistant electoral registration officers by September 25. After final checks, the revised electoral rolls will be published on September 30.