Bihar Roll Revision: ECI Flags Over 52 Lakh Voters For Deletion; Oppn Protests 'Vote Bandi' In Assembly, Parliament
The Election Commission flagged over 52 lakh voters for deletion amid Bihar's electoral roll revision as opposition parties protested in assembly and parliament, alleging "vote bandi".
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday flagged 52.30 lakh electors for deletion during its ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. According to a press note released on July 22, over 52.30 lakh electors have either died, shifted constituencies, or enrolled in more than one place—casting uncertainty over nearly 70 lakh voter entries in the state.
Out of the 52.30 lakh flagged voters, 18.66 lakh have been identified as deceased, 26.01 lakh have reportedly moved to different assembly constituencies, and 7.50 lakh are enrolled in more than one location. Additionally, 11,484 electors were found to be untraceable at their listed addresses.
As per the SIR order dated 24 June 2025, members of the public will have time from August 1 to September 1, 2025, to raise objections related to additions, deletions, or corrections in the draft electoral rolls, which are slated for publication on August 1.
97.30% Enumeration Forms Submitted, Says ECI
The ECI noted that of the total 7.89 crore electors as of June 24, 2025, a whopping 97.30% have submitted their enumeration forms. So far, 7.16 crore forms have been received and 7.13 crore have already been digitised.
A remaining 21.35 lakh voters—about 2.70%—are yet to submit their enumeration forms. The ECI attributed the success of the exercise to coordinated efforts from over 1 lakh booth-level officers (BLOs), 4 lakh volunteers, and 1.5 lakh booth-level agents (BLAs) across Bihar.
Political Storm in Assembly and Parliament Over SIR
In the Bihar Assembly, opposition MLAs dressed in black, stormed the well, attempted to overturn furniture, and clashed with marshals. According to news agency PTI, speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, visibly frustrated, warned them, “Please do not do anything that could cause injury to the staff. Your behaviour is being telecast live, and it would not add to your popularity ahead of elections.”
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav demanded an immediate discussion on the SIR, stating, “The SIR has thrown up many questions like what would be the fate of people who may be living elsewhere for employment purposes but would like to return during elections to cast their votes.” He further alleged, “There have been reports in the media suggesting that at some places, booth-level officers are filling up and signing up forms on behalf of voters.”
Tejashwi also criticised the EC for not holding a press conference and for failing to accept Aadhaar or ration cards as valid documents, despite the Supreme Court’s advice. “We wonder why those in the BJP and the JD(U) are silent on the issue?” he asked.
Opposition MPs Protest in Parliament, Call Bihar SIR “Vote Bandi”
Protests also echoed in Parliament as Congress, RJD, SP, DMK, TMC, and other INDIA bloc MPs demonstrated against the ECI’s revision drive. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra labelled the exercise a conspiracy to “snatch the right to vote.”
In a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), she said, “First, in Maharashtra, elections were rigged by inflating voter lists. Now, in Bihar, attempts are being made to do the same by removing voters’ names. The ‘vote bandi’ being imposed under the guise of Special Intensive Revision is a conspiracy to snatch the right to vote granted by the Constitution. We stand firmly against every attempt to trample upon the Constitution.”
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal listed the SIR process among other pressing public issues such as the Pahalgam terror attack, Manipur conflict, and AI 171 plane crash, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address these in the House.
With Bihar heading to the polls in the coming months, the findings of the ECI’s revision exercise have set off a political firestorm, with the opposition alleging targeted voter deletions and the Commission asserting transparency and legal procedure.
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