New Delhi, July 2: A special electoral roll revision launched by India’s Election Commission (ECI) in the eastern state of Bihar has sparked concerns over the potential exclusion of millions of voters, particularly from poor and marginalised communities, due to a compressed timeline and stringent document requirements.
The ECI began a “Special Intensive Revision” of the voter rolls on Saturday ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for October. The commission said the exercise aims to ensure accuracy by adding all eligible citizens and removing names of the deceased, those who have migrated, and non-citizens.
Bihar’s draft electoral rolls as of January 1, 2025, show approximately 7.96 crore (79.6 million) electors. Of these, 4.96 crore names date back to the 2003 electoral roll, with the ECI stating that individuals on that list would not need to resubmit documentation. An extract from the 2003 roll could also be used to verify the identity of their children.
However, critics say the numbers are misleading. Estimates suggest that 1.8 crore of those listed in 2003 may have died or moved away, reducing the number of voters eligible for simplified verification to 3.16 crore. This implies that around 4.74 crore people will need to provide fresh documents within a short period.
“The timeline for this verification process is simply too short,” said an elections analyst, noting that claim and objection filing is limited to just one month after the draft roll is published.
The list of 11 acceptable documents has also come under criticism. Many in Bihar lack birth or matriculation certificates, and the exclusion of widely held documents such as Aadhaar and ration cards could further disenfranchise large numbers of voters, particularly among the rural poor and less educated.
Bihar has historically lagged behind in birth registration and formal education, making compliance with the current verification norms difficult for many.
Election experts and civil society groups are urging the ECI to reconsider its approach and conduct the revision over a longer period, ideally across all states, and complete it well ahead of the 2029 general election.
“India’s electoral strength lies in high participation by its poorest and most marginalised citizens. The revision must not become a barrier to that,” said one observer. The ECI has not issued a formal response to the concerns raised.
