Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 1: As the deadline for filing claims and objections under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar closed on Monday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) revealed that while the state saw over 16.56 lakh submissions from individual electors, political parties contributed a mere 144 filings.
Breaking down the party-wise numbers, the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation filed the highest at 118, including 15 for inclusion and 103 for exclusion. The BJP submitted 16 objections, all related to exclusion, while the RJD filed only 10 applications seeking voter inclusion.
In stark contrast, over 2.53 lakh claims and objections came directly from voters seeking additions or deletions in the draft electoral roll. Of these, the ECI confirmed that 40,630 had already been resolved. Across the state, 91,462 out of the total submissions have been disposed of so far.
The data release comes amid growing criticism from the Congress and RJD, who allege that the ongoing SIR process is aimed at voter suppression. The revision exercise, which began on June 24, led to the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 1, with the claims window closing on September 1.
In response to the allegations, the Commission clarified several procedural points:
• Only submissions made using the prescribed forms (Form 6 for inclusion, Form 7 for deletion) are considered valid.
• No objections from outside a person’s own Assembly constituency have been accepted, in compliance with the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
• Any deletion of names from the voter list will only occur following a proper inquiry and a "speaking order" issued by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant ERO.
The Commission has also made the draft roll data published on August 1, 2025, available on district websites and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) portal, where individuals can search for entries using their EPIC numbers.
The ECI emphasized that aggrieved individuals can still file inclusion requests via Form 6—accompanied by Aadhaar or acceptable ID—or raise objections through Form 7, until the close of the deadline. Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of recognized political parties have also been encouraged to follow the formal route to submit concerns.
The ECI concluded by noting that even non-electors of a constituency can file specific objections, provided they furnish a sworn declaration as required under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The final revised electoral roll is expected to play a crucial role in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, making the accuracy and transparency of this process a focal point in the political landscape.