EC Orders 'Special Intensive Revision' In Bihar, Demands Proof Of Birthplace

The Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday that it will conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The electoral roll will be updated based on the Enumeration documents and proof of birthplace provided by existing voters who were not on the electoral roll in 2003. 

This move comes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls that are expected to be conducted by the end of the year. 

The SIR process starting on June 25 involves “house-to-house visits” by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who will provide Enumeration Forms to be filled and verify the place and date of birth proofs. Online verification via the ECINET app or the ECI website remains an option. 

Failing to provide these details, voters' names will be disqualified from the electoral roll. Following Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, “While conducting the special revision, the ECI shall be scrupulously adhering to the Constitutional and legal provisions regarding eligibility to be registered as a voter and disqualifications for registration in an electoral roll,” explained the ECI. 

Why is the SIR being conducted now?

The last Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was conducted in 2003. Since, the voter list has not been revised despite the recurring illegal immigration issue being brought by the CAA.

“The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003. Various reasons such as rapid urbanization, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls,” the EC gave as reason. 

This move from the EC comes after allegations of voter theft from the BJP, who claimed illegal immigrants from Bangladesh had registered themselves as voters. The opposition party also makes this argument, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral roll in other states. Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP, accused the ECI of manipulation, questioning, “How can voters exceed the total adult population of Maharashtra?” in February.

How will it be done?

Bihar currently houses 7.73 crore registered voters as of 2023. BLOs have been instructed to conduct a “house-to-house” to distribute the Enumeration Forms (EFs) to all registered voters, which must be filled out on the spot and handed over. 

The EFs contain three categories, which are per the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Those born in India before July 1, 1987, will have to submit proof of "date of birth and/or place of birth." Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 12, 2004, will have to give the same for themselves as well as proof for either parent. Those born after December 2, 2004, will have to provide proof for themselves and both their parents.

Previously, to apply as a voter, citizens needed to submit proof of residence and date of birth, not any proof of place of birth. This new addition by the EC to the SIR can be seen as their compliance with the concerns of undocumented migrants, assuming voter IDs. 

Based on these conditions, the draft of the voters’ list will be published on August 1 on the ECI website. Following this, claims & objections for any addition/deletion of names can be filed by any elector or by any political party. These claims will be examined by Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). On September 30, the final voter list will be published. 

Looking forward, Navbharat Times quoted a senior official associated with the commission, "Till now, the procedure has been that the election schedule is announced within a week after the final publication of the list," meaning that the dates for the Bihar assembly elections can be anticipated in the first week of October.