Over 61 lakh voters may be out of Bihar's draft electoral roll, says ECI data on the eve of SIR deadline
This includes seven lakh people who are yet to submit their enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, a day ahead of the July 25 deadline, according to Election Commission of India data released on Thursday (July 24, 2025). There are also 21.6 lakh deceased electors, 31.5 lakh people who have permanently shifted out of the State, seven lakh who have enrolled at more than one place, and one lakh who are 'untraceable', the ECI said.
The poll body said in a statement that the enumeration forms of 7.21 crore electors (91.32%) have been received and digitised. All of their names will be included in the draft electoral roll. The remaining forms are also being digitised, along with reports from Booth Level Officers (BLO) and Booth Level Agents (BLA) to facilitate their verification during the claims and objections period.
Bihar had 7,89,69,844 voters, according to the 2025 electoral rolls, which are now being revised through the SIR.
Names can be included till September 1
As per the SIR order, after the publication of the new draft electoral roll, copies will be provided to all 12 major political parties in the State. The draft roll will also be available on the ECI's website.
The booth-level lists of electors who have not filled their forms, of deceased electors, and electors who have permanently migrated had already been shared with all political parties on July 20, so that they can point out any errors.
Any elector or any political party can file a claim in case of any missing names or raise an objection in case of any wrong inclusion till September 1. Thus, inclusion of names in the electoral roll will continue till September 1.
'Cannot allow ineligible people to vote'
Faced with Opposition attacks against the SIR process, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar asked whether the ECI should allow the names of the dead and those who have migrated to other places to be included in the voters list.
Allowing ineligible people to vote, first in Bihar and later in the entire country, is against the Constitution, Mr. Kumar said. 'On these questions, someday or the other, all of us and all the citizens of India will have to think deeply, going beyond political ideologies,' he added, defending the SIR.
The Opposition has claimed that the move will disenfranchise crores of eligible citizens. Parliament remained stalled on Thursday as well over the issue.
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