35 Lakh Names Removed from Bihar Voter List

Patna, July 14 (Crime Today News Bureau): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the removal of over 35 lakh names from the revised electoral rolls in Bihar as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. In a major electoral clean-up ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the EC cited multiple reasons for the deletions, including duplication, deaths, permanent migration, and the registration of foreign nationals from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

As per the EC update, 6.60 crore voters out of the total 7.89 crore (88.18%) have been verified and retained. However, 1.59% were found deceased, 2.2% permanently shifted, and 0.73% enrolled in more than one location. The EC has called for the submission of Enumeration Forms (EFs) by July 25, with the final electoral roll to be published on September 30. Notably, 11.82% of electors are yet to submit their documents, though many have reportedly sought an extension.

🗣️ Opposition Raises Red Flags

The move has drawn strong criticism from opposition parties, primarily the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav accused the EC of creating confusion and potential disenfranchisement. “Even a 1% exclusion per constituency may impact nearly 3,200 voters per seat,” Yadav stated. He also questioned the credibility of the EC’s claim that over 80% of the state’s electorate has already been verified, noting that around 4 crore Biharis live outside the state.

Tejashwi further criticized the EC for its lack of clarity on the recent Supreme Court recommendation to include Aadhaar and ration cards in the list of acceptable voter ID documents. “The EC has failed to issue a proper statement or hold a press conference explaining its course of action,” he said.

📅 Key Dates:

Last date for form submission: July 25, 2025
Final electoral roll publication: September 30, 2025

As the political climate heats up in Bihar, the EC’s voter list revision has become a major flashpoint, with concerns mounting over transparency, inclusiveness, and potential electoral manipulation.

Opinion: Voter Purge in Bihar: Necessary Correction or Political Manipulation?

The Election Commission’s announcement of removing over 35 lakh names from Bihar’s voter list—just months before the state assembly elections—raises critical questions about both timing and transparency. While the effort to clean up electoral rolls by eliminating deceased, duplicate, and foreign entries is commendable in theory, its execution in such a politically sensitive climate invites skepticism.

Bihar is a state with a massive migrant population. Millions of Biharis live and work in other states or abroad. In this context, verifying voter identities without proper groundwork could lead to mass disenfranchisement, especially among the poor, marginalized, and minority communities. The inclusion of Nepalese, Bangladeshi, and Burmese nationals on voter rolls is deeply concerning, but so is the lack of clarity on the mechanism used for identification and removal. Transparency is key to democratic integrity. Unless the EC provides robust, verifiable data and clear communication, this purge risks becoming a tool for voter suppression rather than electoral reform.

— Naveed Uddin Khan Uzair
Opinion Contributor, Crime Today News

(With PTI inputs)