The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed the Supreme Court that it has successfully collected enumeration forms from 90.12% of the nearly 7.90 crore electors in Bihar.
This forms part of its ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise aimed at purifying the electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly elections later this year.
In an affidavit submitted to the apex court, the ECI stated that it had collected enumeration data from 7.11 crore voters as of 18 July.
When adjusted for deceased individuals, those permanently relocated, and duplicate registrations, the effective coverage of the revision process reaches 94.68%.
The ECI noted that all political parties involved have acknowledged the necessity and correctness of the SIR, and have cooperated with officials to ensure its timely completion.
The Commission argued that the revision is a constitutionally mandated process to maintain the integrity of the voter list.
Addressing Concerns and Criticisms
The Commission clarified that it chose Bihar as the starting point for the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) because the state will hold elections in November, directly addressing the petitioners’ concerns about timing and intent.
It emphasised that the exercise is inclusionary and necessary to remove ineligible entries such as deceased voters and non-citizens.
The ECI further contended that the revision has a well-established legal foundation and that media reports largely fuel the claims against it.
These, it argued, are not reliable sources of evidence, citing previous rulings that newspaper articles do not hold legal weight.
The affidavit emphasised that the SIR process includes multiple layers of verification to ensure the exclusion of no eligible voter without due process.
It also highlighted efforts made to reach marginalised and vulnerable communities—such as the elderly, poor, and sick—through dedicated volunteers.
The ECI will list all electors who submitted enumeration forms, with or without documentation, in the draft roll scheduled for publication on 1 August.
Electors who miss this phase may still apply for inclusion during the claims period, which runs until 1 September.
The Election Commission will publish the final electoral roll on 30 September.
However, it will continue accepting additions up to the last date of nominations for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, following standard procedure.
The Commission assured the Supreme Court that it is making every effort to maximise voter inclusion and uphold the integrity of the democratic process, firmly rejecting fears of large-scale voter exclusion as ‘misleading and unfounded’.
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