Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is underway in Bihar. The opposition parties, including Congress and RJD, are strongly opposing this process, organizing a voter rights campaign. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are participating in this campaign, questioning the SIR. The Election Commission announced that approximately 1.98 lakh individuals have applied to have their names removed from the voter list. In contrast, around 30,000 applications have been received for inclusion of names. The draft electoral roll was published on August 1st and will be open for “claims and objections” from individuals and political parties until September 1st. According to election laws, people and parties have the right to challenge the inclusion of names they deem ineligible in the draft list. Similarly, those who believe they are eligible but are excluded can request to be included. The final voter list for Bihar, where elections are likely to be held in November, will be published on September 30th. Booth-level agents appointed by political parties have, so far, filed 25 claims for inclusion and 103 claims for removal of names in the draft voter list. The Election Commission reports that 99.11% of the state’s 7.24 crore voters have submitted their documents for verification. The Supreme Court has instructed the Election Commission to accept either Aadhaar cards or any of the 11 listed documents from those wishing to register in the voter list. The Election Commission has requested that the Supreme Court maintain its trust in conducting the special intensive revision campaign in Bihar. The opposition parties have questioned the SIR, alleging a collusion between the Election Commission and the BJP, claiming it is a conspiracy to remove the votes of Dalits, backward classes, and the poor from the voter list.
