Many migrant workers from Bihar unaware of voter list revision: Survey

Hindustan Times

26-07-2025

Many migrant workers from Bihar living outside the state are unaware of the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, according to a survey conducted by a volunteer group, Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN), that interviewed 338 migrant workers in and outside the state. The survey found that 68% of migrant workers from Bihar whom the group interviewed– both within Bihar and outside – lacked accurate information about the documents needed for SIR verification. (Representational image)
The survey found that around 90% of migrant workers whom the group interviewed were unaware of SIR.
'Despite the procedures in place and clarifications and safeguards from exclusions being hastily announced, the testimonies of migrant workers illustrate low levels of confidence in the process… A large fraction of workers questioned the necessity of the SIR and expressed a strong preference for the older process of using Aadhaar or existing voter IDs,' the group observed in its report.
The survey found that 68% of workers whom the group interviewed– both within Bihar and outside – lacked accurate information about the documents needed for SIR verification. Regarding official house visits, 53% said someone had visited, 23% said no official had come, while 24% were unsure.
Of those who reported visits, 29% said officials collected one of the documents from the EC's prescribed list. Another 45% said Aadhaar or voter ID cards were taken along with the enumeration form (EF), even though neither was part of the EC's 11 indicative documents for the exercise.
Launched on June 24, the ECI described the SIR as long overdue, since the last revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003. The poll body said the drive aimed to remove bogus entries and update the rolls. Opposition parties, however, questioned its timing ahead of the state assembly polls and claimed it could 'disenfranchise lakhs of poor voters who cannot produce the requisite documents required to be submitted along with the enumeration forms.'
A key point of contention was the EC directive invalidating Aadhaar, ration cards and voter IDs as supporting documents. On July 10, the Supreme Court asked the EC to consider them for the process. But in its July 21 affidavit, the EC argued it could not accept them because Aadhaar is 'merely a proof of identity; there are a large number of fake ration cards in circulation; and relying on existing voter identity cards would render the special drive (conducted under Article 326 of the Constitution) futile.'
The draft rolls will be published on August 1, with the final list expected on September 30 after corrections.
The SWAN survey noted that 35% of respondents lacked any of the SIR's 11 prescribed documents. In contrast, 96% held Aadhaar cards, 84% voter IDs, 69% PAN cards and 64% ration cards.
'Among those who have at least one of the 11 documents mandated in the SIR, 46% have a matriculation or university-approved certificate, half have a caste certificate, 30% have a domicile certificate and about 39% have a birth certificate. One sees that those who have one of these documents tend to have a few other documents too,' the report said.
Although an online EF submission portal was made available for migrants outside Bihar, the report found that 75% had never heard of it and fewer than 1% had submitted forms online.
As per ECI guidelines, individuals not on the 2003 rolls must prove their eligibility. However, the survey found that 81% of respondents turned 18 after 2003 and already possess voter IDs. Yet, one in three lacked any SIR-listed document.
Many expressed concern over losing voting rights due to document gaps and procedural confusion. The report flagged rising apprehensions, misinformation and the absence of sufficient outreach.
It also noted a limited representation of women's voices. One respondent shared struggles in meeting shifting documentation demands.
'Notwithstanding the impracticality of such a hasty exercise, the interaction with the migrant workers leads us to believe that the SIR exercise will disenfranchise millions of people in Bihar. This further pushes us to suggest that the SIR exercise must be revoked without further delay,' the group said.
'Once the verified voter lists based on the SIR are published, a systemic public verification must be undertaken with due attention to the inclusion and experience of marginalised groups. Many of these migrant workers are amongst those who are most likely to be excluded and the current safeguards are simply not enough.'