CEC Breaks Silence Amid Bihar Voter Roll Row: Overhaul of Electoral Rolls Underway After Parties Raise Serious Concerns
Patna | July 7, 2025: In response to mounting criticism and widespread protests by opposition parties over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has clarified that the decision to overhaul voter rolls was driven by unanimous dissatisfaction from all political parties, regardless of affiliation.
Addressing the controversy for the first time publicly, the CEC stated on Sunday that the current voter ID ecosystem is a matter of “concern for all stakeholders”. His comments come as the Election Commission of India (ECI) faces accusations of conducting the SIR in a manner that allegedly disenfranchises certain communities.
“Electoral Rolls Not Up To the Mark,” Admits CEC
“During the past four months, all 4,123 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), all 775 District Election Officers (DEOs), and all 36 Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) have conducted around 5,000 meetings with over 28,000 political party representatives across the country,” said CEC Kumar.
“In every forum, across every political spectrum, no one was satisfied with the current status of electoral rolls,” he added, stating that this consensus necessitated a major revision.
What Is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The Special Intensive Revision is a rigorous electoral roll verification and update exercise currently underway in Bihar. It aims to update voter information and remove ineligible entries.
However, controversy has erupted due to a 2025 EC directive which exempts about 60% of voters — those enrolled before 2003 — from submitting any supporting documents. The remaining 40% — over 3 crore voters — are being asked to furnish official documents to prove their date and place of birth.
Opposition leaders have alleged that the new verification rules are being selectively applied and could disenfranchise marginalized communities and first-time voters.
Opposition Alleges Targeted Disenfranchisement
Several opposition leaders, including former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, have accused the Centre and State of conspiring to strip voting rights from large sections of the electorate.
“They are asking people to provide unnecessary documents to intimidate them and take away their voting rights. We urge citizens to only show their voter ID card and nothing else,” Rabri Devi stated during a public appeal earlier this week.
🏛️ CEC Defends Process Amid Political Storm
The Election Commission has denied all allegations of political bias or attempts at mass disenfranchisement. On Saturday, the CEC reaffirmed that the poll panel is regularly engaging with political stakeholders to allay concerns and make the process transparent.
In his latest statement, Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that the SIR is not arbitrary, but follows uniform criteria and feedback gathered from interactions with all recognized political parties.
By the Numbers: Progress on the Ground
- As of July 5, 2025, over 1.04 crore voters (13.19%) have already submitted enumeration forms.
- Bihar currently has a total of 7.9 crore registered electors.
- The last date to submit verification documents is July 26, 2025.
- More than 93% of forms have already been distributed, according to the EC.
Experts Warn of Legal and Political Fallout
Constitutional experts and civil rights groups have flagged potential risks in the implementation of the SIR.
“Any process that disproportionately burdens certain sections with documentation risks violating the principle of universal adult franchise, a cornerstone of Indian democracy,” said Professor Anil Deshmukh, a constitutional scholar at JNU.
Legal petitions challenging the EC’s SIR guidelines are expected to be filed in the Patna High Court and the Supreme Court in the coming weeks.
Voter Verification Guidelines Under the Scanner
Here’s a breakdown of what the EC's current guidelines specify:
- Voters registered before January 1, 2003: Not required to submit any new documents.
- Voters added after 2003 or new applicants: Must provide official proof of date/place of birth — such as a birth certificate, Aadhaar, or Class 10 marksheet.
- No requirement to show Aadhaar compulsorily, but it's being “encouraged” for authentication purposes.
What Happens Next?
With the deadline for form submission set for July 26, political temperature in Bihar is expected to remain high. As the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections draw near, the outcome of the SIR process could significantly influence voter confidence, turnout, and legitimacy of the eventual electoral outcomes.
The EC has promised to publish updated draft rolls by mid-August, followed by a short claims and objections window before final rolls are frozen.