Bihar's voter list includes a number of citizens from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar: Source

The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has stirred a major political and administrative controversy. The revision, launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 25, is aimed at purging the rolls of ineligible entries and ensuring that only Indian citizens are eligible to vote. The process is set to conclude on July 26, with the final voter list to be published on September 30, 2025, after inquiries on suspect entries are completed post August 1.

Key Developments:

  • Foreign Nationals Detected: During the verification process, a large number of individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar have been found residing in Bihar. Officials confirmed that these individuals’ names will not be included in the final voter rolls if found ineligible.

  • Mass Verification Exercise: Over 77,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs), along with other government staff and political workers, are scrutinizing credentials of more than 7.8 crore voters. All voters have been asked to submit proof of Indian citizenship, beyond standard identity documents like Aadhaar or voter ID.

  • Amit Malviya’s Allegations: BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya alleged that opposition parties, particularly RJD, Congress, and Left parties, along with sympathetic NGOs and activists, were pressuring the ECI to include foreign nationals in the voter rolls to create a “vote bank.”

  • Supreme Court Intervention: A batch of petitions by opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Manoj Kumar Jha, KC Venugopal, and Supriya Sule, challenged the legitimacy of the SIR process in Bihar. The Supreme Court allowed the ECI to proceed but instructed the Commission to consider Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as part of the verification process.

  • ECI’s Clarification: The Commission maintained that these documents are not definitive proof of citizenship, though they are accepted for identification. Final eligibility will be based on thorough verification.

  • Upcoming Roll Revision in Other States: The SIR will be extended to West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry next. These states are due for Assembly elections by May 2026, and the electoral roll cleansing will take place in anticipation of that.

Context:

This issue has deepened the divide between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, with voter eligibility becoming a flashpoint ahead of crucial state elections. While the ECI insists this is a non-partisan drive to uphold electoral integrity, opposition leaders argue it could be a pretext to disenfranchise marginalised and minority voters.

The next few months, especially around the September 30 final roll publication, will be critical as both legal scrutiny and political discourse intensify.


 

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