Opposition Parties Outpace Rivals In Appointing Booth Agents During Bihar Voter Revision Drive

In a notable political shift during Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, opposition parties have surpassed others in appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs), signalling strong ground-level mobilisation ahead of the state assembly elections.

According to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday, political parties nominated over 1.60 lakh BLAs during the enumeration phase held between 24 June and 25 July 2025. This marks a 16 per cent increase from the start of the drive.

CPI(M), CPIML, Congress Lead BLA Surge

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) recorded the highest jump, with a 1083 per cent rise in BLAs, from just 76 before SIR to 899 after.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation followed closely, increasing its agent count by 542 per cent, from 233 to 1,496.

The Indian National Congress also showed significant engagement, doubling its BLA count from 8,586 to 17,549—an increase of 105 per cent.

These figures counter earlier claims that the opposition was not engaging with the SIR process. Instead, they indicate active participation aimed at voter engagement and improving electoral roll accuracy.

In contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a major opposition force, registered only a 1 per cent rise, from 47,143 to 47,506 BLAs.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had a strong base, saw just a 3 per cent growth, from 51,964 to 53,338. The Janata Dal (United) showed moderate growth, increasing its BLA strength by 31 per cent—from 27,931 to 36,550.

Sign of Ground-Level Strength Ahead of Bihar Polls

The rise in BLA appointments is seen as a key indicator of party preparedness and grassroots reach ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. It also underscores a wider political consensus in supporting cleaner and more inclusive electoral rolls.

While the INDIA Bloc had criticised the timing of the SIR, suggesting it favoured the ruling alliance, the numbers show active opposition participation. The sharp increase in opposition BLAs confirms their presence on the ground during the revision process.

The data reveals that far from boycotting the drive, opposition parties like Congress, CPI(M), and CPIML used the opportunity to strengthen their electoral groundwork across Bihar.

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