Bihar SIR News: In a massive cleanup drive ahead of the final publication of Bihar’s draft electoral roll, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has detected over 52 lakh problematic entries in the state's voter list, as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The goal of the SIR is to ensure that the final electoral roll, due to be published on August 1, includes only eligible and correctly listed voters. The enumeration process involves over 1 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs), 4 lakh volunteers and 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from 12 major political parties in Bihar.

However, this move has triggered a political firestorm in Bihar, given the approaching Assembly Elections in the state. Opposition parties have accused the ECI and the ruling NDA government of using the drive to "purge" genuine voters under the guise of electoral integrity. Opposition MLAs on Tuesday turned up in the Bihar assembly, dressed in black as a mark of protest against the SIR, and created a ruckus over the issue by storming the well.

Bihar SIR: What EC Has Revealed In Its Latest Report?

According to a press note issued on July 22, 2025, the ECI revealed that approximately 18.66 lakh deceased voters, 26.01 lakh voters who have shifted constituencies, and nearly 7.5 lakh voters enrolled at multiple places have been identified so far.

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As per ECI data, Bihar had a total of 7.89 crore registered electors as of June 24, 2025. Of these, 90.67 per cent enumeration forms have already been received, and 90.37 per cent have been digitised. Out of this total, 6.62 per cent (52.30 lakh electors) were found not residing at their listed addresses.

Apart from the deceased and shifted voters, 11,484 names were categorised as ‘not traceable’, while 7 lakh electors were found to be registered at more than one location.

Bihar SIR: Public Can Raise Objections Till September 1

The ECI, in its order dated June 24, 2025, has also provided a one-month window from August 1 to September 1, 2025, for citizens to file objections and request additions, deletions or corrections to the Draft Electoral Roll.

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The Election Commission further said that BLOs and other election officials have already shared the list of over 21.36 lakh voters whose enumeration forms are still pending with political party representatives. These include individuals who are yet to be contacted or who haven’t submitted their enumeration forms.

Bihar SIR: Political Controversy

While the Election Commission says the Bihar SIR aims to improve the integrity of the electoral process, it has sparked a major political row, with opposition parties accusing the government of attempting to remove voters from marginalised communities. Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc have accused the BJP-led government of manipulating electoral rolls under the pretext of a cleanup.

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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav likened the SIR drive to the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, claiming that it could become a tool to eliminate inconvenient voters. He also mocked the government’s justification, stating that the explanation sounded more like an attempt to turn the entire revision process into a "bureaucratic eyewash."

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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the exercise an "attempt to murder democracy," alleging that lakhs of genuine voters risk being removed from the list. The INDIA bloc submitted adjournment notices in both Houses of Parliament, leading to disruptions and eventually forcing the proceedings to be suspended.


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