Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 30: In a striking revelation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reported that political parties in Bihar have submitted a mere 128 claims and objections as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll — a figure that starkly contrasts with their loud public allegations of voter list manipulation and "vote theft."
Of the 128 submissions, only 25 were requests for inclusion of names in the voter list, while 103 sought exclusions. Significantly, the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation) alone accounted for 118 of these, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) contributing the remaining 10. Notably, no recognised national party, including the BJP, Congress, CPI(M), AAP, BSP, or the National People’s Party, submitted a single claim or objection.
This minimal participation comes despite opposition parties — particularly the Congress and the RJD — sharply criticising the SIR process, accusing the ECI of orchestrating mass disenfranchisement through deliberate manipulation of the rolls.
In contrast, individual voters across the state have actively participated in the revision drive, filing a total of 2.27 lakh claims and objections — including 29,872 for inclusion and 1,97,764 for exclusion. Over 33,000 of these cases have already been resolved, the ECI stated in its bulletin dated August 30.
Since the SIR began on June 24, the draft electoral roll was published on August 1, with the window for claims and objections set to close on September 1.
Responding to criticism, the Commission clarified that generic complaints or grievances not submitted in the prescribed legal forms cannot be treated as valid claims or objections. It also noted that only electors of a particular Assembly constituency are allowed to file objections within that constituency, in accordance with Section 2(g) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Statewide, the ECI has received a total of 13.33 lakh claims and objections directly from electors, with over 61,000 already disposed of. The Commission also emphasised that no name will be deleted from the electoral roll without a formal speaking order issued by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant ERO after proper inquiry.
The ECI has urged voters and parties to act within the legal framework and submit formal claims before the September 1 deadline, using Form 6 and including Aadhaar details, where available.
The data not only exposes a glaring gap between political rhetoric and actual participation in the revision process but also throws a spotlight on the need for structured engagement, if parties hope to influence the integrity of electoral rolls through democratic and legal channels.