INDIA bloc leaders oppose before EC special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar

New Delhi | Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties met the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and raised concerns over its timing, alleging that over two crore voters of the state may be disenfranchised by this mammoth exercise being done just ahead of assembly elections.

Leaders from 11 parties, including the Congress, RJD, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, NCP-SP and the Samajwadi Party, put forth their objections before Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other election commissioners to the special scrutiny of the voters' list.

The INDIA bloc parties have been vocal in their opposition to the Special Intensive Revision exercise that has already started in Bihar and is to be carried out in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal which are going to the polls next year.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said a minimum of two crore persons may be disenfranchised in this exercise as many, especially, the SCs, STs, migratory and impoverished, among the nearly eight crore voters in Bihar may not be in a position to present their and their parents' birth certificates to the poll authorities in such a short period.

He also claimed that they would not be able to challenge the removal of their names from the electoral rolls as polls would begin by then and courts do not hear challenges when elections are underway.

"We asked the EC that the last revision was in 2003, and for 22 years after 4-5 elections have happened, were all those elections faulty or imperfect or unreliable. The SIR was held one year before general elections and two years before assembly elections," he said.

Singhvi said that in a maximum period of one or two months, the EC is holding an electoral revision exercise of the second most populated state in India, Bihar, which has roughly under eight crore voters.

"This disenfranchisement, disempowerment is the worst attack on the basic structure of the Constitution. We gave universal adult suffrage in 1950, when so-called advanced countries like the USA and the UK got it only in 1924 and 1928.

"Today, every vote counts, even if you wrongfully delete or wrongfully add a single voter, it is creating a non-level playing field and that affects elections, that affects democracy.

"Elections and democracy are part of the basic structure and it is said that even a constitutional amendment is unconstitutional if it affects the basic structure," he asserted.

Singhvi asked, "How do you expect the very diverse voting population of Bihar, the backwards, the flood-affected, the poor and impoverished, the SC/ST, the unempowered or even the migrant to spend the next two months running from pillar to post to get the birth certificate of his own and his father/mother."

It is easy to say that the volunteers will help him, but if a person does not get the certificate within the time limit, that individual loses a place in the electoral roll, he noted.

"We have said that upwards of 2.5 crore to 3 crore persons, let us assume the minimum figure of two crore may be disenfranchised in this exercise.

"We are not against it (SIR), but this can be done with great care after this election. Why choose this time, just ahead of the assembly elections," Singhvi said, alleging that this exercise was announced suddenly.

"We believe that migratory persons, who have to travel for work, cannot be at the beck and call of the person who knocks on the door asking for filling up the enumeration form," he said, noting that voters have been there on rolls since 2003 and have voted in 4-5 elections.

"The EC, though it heard us, seems to be disinclined to accept our submissions," he said.

Singhvi said they also protested against the new directive of the poll panel on entry to the Election Commission premises that asks only party presidents to appear before it.

"For the first time, we were given rules to enter the EC. For the first time, we were told that only party chiefs can go. Such a restriction means necessary dialogue between political parties and the EC can't happen," Singhvi said.

RJD leader Manoj Jha said the meeting was "not cordial".

"We expressed our concern about the poor, backward classes in Bihar. We saw a lack of concern from the Election Commission," he said.

"Is this an effort to disenfranchise people? The 20 per cent Biharis who migrate outside the state are the target. If the purpose of an exercise becomes exclusion instead of inclusion, what should we do?

"Are you trying to find doubtful voters in Bihar?" he said.

CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said their doubts and worries about the SIR have increased after the meeting because they did not get any satisfactory reply.

"We said the poor will not have these documents. They said those who are in the 2003 voters' list will be presumed to be citizens of India, the rest will have to prove their citizenship to the EC," he said.

"We said this reminds people of Bihar of 'notebandi' (demonitisation), and it is being called 'votebandi' (disenfranchisement) in Bihar," he said. "If you interfere with 'one person-one vote', we will take action," he said.

EC sources said some of the participants were given an appointment and others were allowed to join in without any prior appointment, as the Commission decided to meet two representatives from every party.

The EC told them that SIR is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 326, RP Act 1950 and instructions issued on 24.06.2025. They also said each concern raised by the parties was "fully addressed" by the Commission.

The Election Commission has issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in the polls slated later this year.

The poll panel has said it has taken additional steps in the intensive revision to ensure illegal migrants do not get enrolled in the voters' list.