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The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bihar SIR: 3.95 lakh voters not included in Patna
The Election Commission of India on Friday (August 1, 2025) published Bihar's draft electoral roll after the completion of the first phase of its Special Intensive Revision exercise. According to data shared by the office of Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, the State capital Patna has the highest number of 3.95 lakh voters not included in the list. There are more than 3 lakh voters missing from the draft roll in each of the three districts of East Champaran, Madhubani and Gopalganj. Another 10 districts have seen a drop of 2 lakh voters each, while 13 districts saw a decline of more than one lakh voters in the draft roll. Leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc in the State said the ECI failed to answer their queries about the names left out in the draft list. Detailed data needed: INDIA At a meeting of political parties organised by the Bihar CEO, INDIA bloc leaders asked how many voters whose names are in the 2003 voter list — when the last SIR was conducted — had filled in the current SIR enumeration form, seeking the total number and list of names. They also asked for the registered voter list published on January 7, 2025 to be provided in a pen drive or CD, with the data in an Assembly-wise format. In a memorandum submitted to the Bihar CEO, the INDIA bloc also asked for a detailed Assembly-wise list of those voters who have been removed from the final draft, as well as those who had not yet filled in the enumeration form by the evening of August 2. Noting that the ECI has said that over 22 lakh registered voters have died, the Opposition leaders asked which documents were taken from the relatives of the deceased voters. Similarly, they asked on what basis a number of voters have been declared 'untraceable'. Unanswered questions Rashtriya Janata Dal spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan said that there was a clear provision in the Election Representation Act that in case of removal of someone's name from the voter list, a notice should be issued to the affected voter. Was this followed in the case of 65 lakh voters whose names have been removed from the list, he asked. 'Has this number come to light in just six months after the final voter list published on January 7, 2025?' the INDIA bloc leaders asked in their memorandum. 'How many voters were provided with receipts during the SIR process in Bihar?' they added. 'No satisfactory answer was given by the Election Commission on this. The INDIA bloc asked the Election Commission how many foreign nationals' names and addresses have been found in the voter list so far. No answer was given to this either,' Mr. Gagan said. Apart from Mr. Gagan, others present at the meeting included Kumar Parvez of the CPI (ML), Sanjay Bharti of the Congress, and Anil Kumar of the Janata Dal (United), as well as representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties.
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
EC releases draft voter list, removes 65L names in state
Patna: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft electoral rolls following a monthlong special intensive revision (SIR) process ahead of the Bihar elections . District magistrates (DMs) from all 38 districts shared both hard and soft copies of the draft rolls, along with lists of deleted names, with representatives of recognised political parties. The ECI also uploaded the district-wise draft rolls on its official website, showing the removal of 65.2 lakh voters' names from the electoral register. Among these, 22,34,501 were deleted due to death, 36,28,210 for permanent shifting or being absent and 7,01,364 for being enrolled at more than one location. Saran district reported the highest number of deletions, followed by Bhagalpur and Bettiah (West Champaran). In the released list, 2.73 lakh names were deleted in Saran, followed by 2.44 lakh in Bhagalpur, 1.91 lakh in Bettiah, 1.46 lakh in Kishanganj, 1.31 lakh in Saharsa, 1.28 lakh in Supaul, 87,000 in Buxar, 79,000 in Khagaria and 26,000 in Sheikhpura. In Kishanganj district alone, the maximum deletions were recorded in the Kishanganj assembly constituency (49,340), followed by 36,574 in Bahadurganj, 30,722 in Kochadhaman and 29,277 in Thakurganj. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indian NRIs Are Getting Eligible For INR 2 Lakh Monthly Pension On Retirement. Invest 18K/M Get Offer Undo Bihar chief electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal informed party representatives of the deletions and sought their cooperation in updating the electoral rolls. Claims and objections can be filed by voters or recognised political parties till Sept 1. Eligible voters may apply to add their names, correct errors or remove ineligible entries. The final electoral roll will be published on Sept 30. Earlier, the ECI said 91.69% of the 7.89 crore registered voters in the state — around 7.24 crore — had submitted their enumeration forms (EFs). In a press statement, the ECI urged all eligible electors to check their names in the draft rolls. Those whose names are missing must fill and submit Form 6 along with a declaration form. Voters who turned 18 on or before July 1, or will turn 18 by Oct 1, should also register using Form 6 and the declaration form.
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
10 days to go, Bihar CEO launches online form for residents outside the state to get onboard SIR
With only 10 days left for the submission and uploading of enumeration forms to be included as voters in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, Bihar Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has launched 'an easy, two-step' online form for the estimated one crore migrants living outside the state, amid concerns that they may be left out of the exercise. Bihar CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal told The Indian Express in an interview earlier that the Election Commission was working on a hassle-free online system to address apprehensions of 'those living temporarily outside Bihar'. On Tuesday, the Bihar CEO's office prominently advertised the process of online submission, through just scanning a QR code. 'If you have a mobile phone in hand, why worry about filling an enumeration form?' says the EC advertisement. It goes on to explain: 'After clicking the 'enumeration form online' on ECI site, one can log in using one's EPIC (voter ID) number or mobile phone, and the enumeration form will show. One can now fill in details such as one's name and date of birth.' For signature, the advertisement says, the applicant can sign on a white sheet of paper or put a thumb impression, and upload it with the form. The EC said a confirmation SMS would be received on the applicant's phone. About uploading a photo and documents, the CEO makes it clear that if one is unable to submit the same, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) would take a final call, on the basis of documents which can be submitted between August 1 and August 30, or use other records such as names in government schemes or land documents. All parties welcomed the EC initiative, with the RJD and Congress calling it 'belated'. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said: 'The EC has been responding late to all our grievances. Retaining migrants in electoral rolls has always been a matter of big concern. Anyways, it is a welcome move.' Bihar Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari said: 'We have been talking about it for a long while. Though it is a belated move, it is better late than never.' Welcoming the EC move, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said the EC has been trying its best to complete the task. LJP (Ram Vilas) Bihar in-charge and Jamui MP Arun Kumar Bharti said: 'Our only objective is to ensure that the poor, Dalits and those temporarily living out of Bihar are not dropped from the electoral rolls.'
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bihar Chief Electoral Officer: ‘EC legal team will look at SC suggestions…will release App to speed up process'
TWO days after the Supreme Court's suggestion that the Election Commission include Aadhaar, ration card and voter ID in the list of documents in its intensive revision in Bihar, state Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, 2007 batch IAS officer, spoke to The Indian Express. Excerpts: People hardly have a measure of the work we had… from printing of enumeration forms to its distribution, our staff are working very hard. We have uploaded 56 per cent forms (4.39 cr) in the system and collected forms from 76 per cent (5.98 crore) of the total 7.89 crore existing electors. We have to work on the break-up of this number. The numbers I mention include all forms submitted — with or without one of the 11 documents. We took out advertisements in newspapers twice that voters can submit forms with or without one of 11 documents. There is no need to panic — documents can be submitted by August 30. A BLO (Booth Level Officer) will attach those documents with respective uploaded forms. We also know that there's been a surge in domicile applications (one of the 11 documents) by voters. They can submit it to us by 30 August. An Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) who is, generally, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Land Record Deputy Collector (LRDC); Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and or any other similar rank officer, will go as per provisions of Article 326 of RP Act. The ERO/SDM has the revenue record, record of development schemes; the BDO (block development officer) or CO (circle officer) has the history, geography…who all got Indira Awaas, who has what land record. An ERO has to be satisfied about veracity of a voter. If he is not satisfied, he will serve notice to an existing elector through BLO as part of the principle of natural justice. Of course. That's why due process will be followed. One often complains about improper land record. But the older a land record, the better it is. If it is in name of your grandfather, it is good enough. An ERO will look into all these things. Still, if one's claim of being a voter is rejected, he or she can appeal before the District Magistrate. That is not very likely since most local officers will verify a voter at their end itself. During the phase of claims and objections (August 1-30), BLOs will collect documents from those who had not submitted it with their forms. All such voters will fall in the category of new voters, who can apply with form 6 after August 1, online or offline. We are ensuring new voters will be part of electoral roll for upcoming 2025 Assembly polls. ECI's legal team will looking at the suggestions of the Supreme Court. ECI goes per mandate of Article 326. We are here to follow ECI's order. There are learned people in Honourable Supreme Court and ECI. Let them discuss and decide. Ayog ka mandate hai: sahi electors rahna chahiye, galat katna chahiye. ECI has been going only as per its mandate under Article 326. We are here to follow the EC's orders. We have been working hard at every level to complete the process. We have 24 per cent more forms to collect, we still have some time to do so. We have learnt that relatives of such people have been getting signed forms. Some people in rural areas have come back to villages as well. We are also devising an App in the coming two days to facilitate two stages: form submission and document upload through one's mobile phone.
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Today in Politics: An update on SIR revision — from the EC and an appeal by Bihar Chief Electoral Officer
A day after a petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's (EC) controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the poll panel wrote to Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all other states on July 5, directing them to begin preparations for a similar exercise — this time with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date. The qualifying date mentioned in the letter indicates that while the nationwide exercise may start soon, a final timeline for the rest of the country is yet to be decided — though the aim is to include everyone who turns 18 years of age by January 1, 2026. Since 2003 has been chosen for Bihar as 'probative evidence of eligibility' — meaning voters on the electoral roll that year, when the last intensive revision was done, will be presumed Indian citizens unless proven otherwise — other states are also likely to use the year of their last intensive roll revision as the cut-off for presumption of citizenship for existing voters. For instance, Delhi's electoral roll was last intensively revised in 2008. In its instructions, the Commission — referring to paragraph 10 of its order dated June 24, when it formally announced the SIR in Bihar and said detailed guidelines for the rest of the country would follow — has asked all CEOs to complete 'pre-revision activities.' The EC's letter is significant against the backdrop of the upcoming Assembly elections in 2025 in BJP-ruled Assam; TMC-ruled West Bengal; DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu; and Left-ruled Kerala. The Union Territory of Puducherry will also elect a new Assembly next year. Whether the SIR in these four states — three of which are ruled by Opposition parties at the Centre — will be linked to the Assembly elections next year may depend on how the Supreme Court hearing on the Bihar exercise unfolds. During the hearing on Thursday (July 10), the court raised concerns about the timing of the exercise and whether it could be delinked from the state election. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, part of the two-judge bench, flagged the risk of disenfranchising voters by removing names from the rolls just months before polling, even if the broader objective of cleansing the rolls is legitimate. The Supreme Court eventually declined to restrain the EC from proceeding with its intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar but suggested that the poll panel also consider Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards for the purpose of updating the rolls. Bihar Booth Level Officers scramble on the ground: Long hours, slow Internet, and a mountain to climb Bihar electoral roll revision: Why 3 papers SC suggests widen net, dial down panic In Bihar, EC doesn't follow its own practice, puts burden of proof on voters, ignores existing rolls In a conversation with The Indian Express, Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, a 2007 batch IAS officer, addressed concerns about the SIR exercise in Bihar. Asked what happens to those voters who have submitted forms without one of the 11 mandated documents for the exercise, Gunjiyal said: 'We took out advertisements in newspapers twice that voters can submit forms with or without one of 11 documents. There is no need to panic — documents can be submitted by August 30. A BLO (Booth Level Officer) will attach those documents with respective uploaded forms. We also know that there's been a surge in domicile applications (one of the 11 documents) by voters. They can submit it to us by 30 August.' On the Supreme Court's suggestions to consider Aadhar, voter ID and ration cards as valid documents for the exercise, he said the ECI's legal team will looking at the suggestions of the Supreme Court. 'ECI goes per mandate of Article 326. We are here to follow ECI's order. There are learned people in Honourable Supreme Court and ECI. Let them discuss and decide. Ayog ka mandate hai: sahi electors rahna chahiye, galat katna chahiye,' he said. In the Valley The Srinagar district magistrate on Saturday rejected the National Conference's plea seeking permission to pay homage to the 22 people 'martyred' by the forces of the Dogra Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, on July 13, 1931. The party, in an application sent to the district magistrate, had said that NC president Farooq Abdullah and other senior functionaries intend to visit the graveyard of 'martyrs' at Naqshband Sahib near Nowhatta on Sunday. 'The District Administration Srinagar has denied permission to all applicants intending to proceed towards Khawaja Bazar, Nowhatta on 13th July 2025 (Sunday),' Srinagar Police said in a public advisory posted on its handle on X. The police said the general public is hereby advised to strictly comply with these instructions and refrain from violating the orders issued by the district administration. 'Any violation of these orders shall invite strict legal action under relevant provisions of law,' the police warned. July 13 used to be a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir before the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories in August 2019. A state function would be held every year on the day. However, the administration dropped the day from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020. — With PTI inputs
