Bihar is facing a fresh wave of political allegations as the state gears up for the Assembly elections in 2025. Concerns have been raised regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Electoral Roll, with claims of deceased individuals listed while eligible voters are omitted. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav has alleged his name is missing from the draft voter list. He stated that he had filled out the necessary enumeration form during the special revision. Yadav expressed concerns about his ability to contest the upcoming elections. In response, Janata Dal (United) accused Yadav of misleading the public. Yadav, speaking at a press conference, stated he had completed the form, and his name was still missing. He questioned how he would participate in the elections, highlighting the absence of his information even after entering his Elector’s Photo Identification Card (EPIC) number. The Patna district administration clarified that Yadav’s name is registered, but his polling station and serial number have been changed. Yadav questioned the number of individuals affected by similar changes, calling it a potential conspiracy to remove people from the voter list. JDU’s chief spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar, labeled Tejashwi a “political fraud”. The Election Commission (ECI) refuted Yadav’s claims, stating that his name is included at Serial Number 416 in the draft electoral roll. As of now, Yadav has not responded to the ECI’s statement. The situation has heightened the already tense political climate in Bihar ahead of the elections. With a minority of the 7.23 crore applicants submitting documents, Bihar’s draft electoral roll has gone live. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Roll is currently underway in Bihar, as the state prepares for its upcoming polls. The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar and 243 Electoral Officers will invite the voter or any recognised political party to file their objections regarding any discrepancies in the electoral roll. The objections can be made from 1st August to 1st September 2025. ECI issued instructions for conducting Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar on 24th of last month. The objectives of the exercise were to ensure the inclusion of names of all eligible citizens in the electoral roll in a transparent manner. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003. The voters can check their details at ECI website.
