Bihar Electoral Rolls Purified After 22 Years
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar has “purified” the voter list for the first time in 22 years. Alongside this, ECI unveiled 17 new poll reforms initially for Bihar, with plans to scale them nationally.
What the Revision Achieved
The SIR process updated and cleaned the voter register by removing duplicate entries, deceased persons, and ineligible entries. ECI officials said it was a major success, though the Chief Election Commissioner refused to directly address accusations of “infiltrator” entries.
The overhaul is the first of its kind since 2003. It involved Electoral Registration Officers and Booth Level Officers across all 243 constituencies, who worked to validate and correct the rolls.
New Reforms to Expand
Among the 17 initiatives are faster EPIC (elector photo identity card) delivery, mobile voter services, enhanced transparency in deletion reasons, and improved objection handling. Officials plan to use these as models for electoral reforms across other states.
Pushback and Legal Challenge
Opposition parties have raised concerns that the process could disenfranchise groups, especially women and minorities. They allege mass removals without proper justification. In response, a petition is pending before the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of parts of the SIR process.
Despite controversies, ECI is pressing ahead. Poll schedule announcements for the Bihar assembly are expected soon as the state preps for elections.
