Bihar Voter List Shrinks by 47 Lakh to 7.42 Crore After EC’s Special Intensive Revision

The total number of electors in poll-bound Bihar has dropped by nearly 47 lakh—from 7.89 crore to 7.42 crore—following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, according to the final electoral roll published on Tuesday by the Election Commission (EC).

Nearly 99 per cent of the deletions were due to deaths, permanent migration and duplicate entries, sources told The Indian Express. In the Supreme Court, the Election Commission had defended its authority to seek proof of citizenship and justified placing the burden of proof on electors.

In the draft list released on August 1, the EC had initially removed 65 lakh names citing reasons such as death, migration, and duplication. An additional 3.66 lakh were removed during the claims and objections phase— a period when citizens could contest deletions or seek corrections.

Meanwhile, 21.53 lakh new voters were added during the revision, resulting in a net increase of 17.87 lakh voters compared to the draft roll, bringing the final total to 7.42 crore electors. This number could still change slightly as supplementary lists are published during the ongoing election process.

Political Response and EC’s Stand

The large-scale deletions have drawn strong protests from Opposition parties, who allege that the EC is acting under pressure from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Commission has rejected the allegations, insisting that the revision process strictly followed constitutional provisions and its guiding principle of ensuring no eligible voter is left out, and no ineligible person is included.

The EC clarified that citizens aggrieved by deletions or other decisions can file a first appeal with the District Magistrate and a second appeal with the Chief Electoral Officer, as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Next Steps and National Rollout

The Election Commission is scheduled to visit Patna on October 4–5 to assess poll preparedness. The term of the current 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, and the election schedule is expected to be announced next week. The polls are likely to be held soon after Chhath.

This was the first Special Intensive Revision conducted in Bihar in 22 years. Unlike the routine annual "summary revision," the SIR involved house-to-house enumeration and a complete overhaul of the rolls without relying on existing voter lists.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar thanked voters, political parties, and election officials for the successful completion of the exercise.

National Implications

Following the Bihar exercise, the EC is expected to evaluate the process and decide on the method and timeline for implementing the SIR across the rest of the country. A meeting of all State Chief Electoral Officers was held on September 10, where the EC reviewed Bihar’s model and sought feedback, but a nationwide schedule is yet to be announced.

The EC had originally announced on June 24 that a nationwide SIR would be undertaken, with Bihar being the first due to its upcoming elections.