The Election Commission of India on Tuesday published the final voter list for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, marking the completion of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted after more than two decades. The roll will serve as the basis for polling, with the current Assembly’s term ending on November 22.
The revision brought sharp shifts in voter numbers. Bihar had 7.89 crore voters before the exercise, but the August draft showed a dip to 7.24 crore after 65 lakh deletions. In Patna alone, the final roll now counts 48.15 lakh voters, up by 1.63 lakh from the draft. Between August 1 and September 1, over 16.5 lakh people applied for fresh registration, while applications from September are still being processed. Voters can continue to apply until 10 days before nominations close, with names added via a supplementary list.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and colleagues will visit Bihar on October 4–5 to review preparations. Poll dates are expected to be announced soon after, likely between October 6 and 7.
The exercise, however, faces criticism. Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav allege it was designed to disenfranchise the poor and minorities, branding it a “vote theft” drive. Although, they are yet to offer any satisfactory evidence or explanation as to why they believe the exercise undermines India’s robust democratic framework. The issue is also before the Supreme Court, which will hear the matter on October 7.
