EC deploys volunteers to support voters ahead of SIR deadline in Bihar

The Election Commission of India has announced the deployment of volunteers to assist electors in Bihar in securing government-issued documents ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Electors are required to submit enumeration forms and proof by September 1, but many have been unable to meet this deadline due to documentation constraints.

During the first phase of the SIR (June 25–July 25), the EC received forms from 7.24 crore voters, covering 91.69% of the state’s 7.89 crore electors.

However, the review process identified census inconsistencies:

Around 65 lakh voters have been flagged — 57 lakh as untraceable or deceased, and others listed as duplicate entries across multiple locations.

Approximately 36 lakh voters were found to have permanently moved or were not traceable at their registered addresses.

These findings come amid mounting criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue the process risks disenfranchising migrant workers and other vulnerable groups.

Cases from poor migrant households, particularly in villages like Koriyawagarh, have highlighted fears of exclusion from both electoral rolls and welfare schemes.

Meanwhile, the EC has defended the revision process, asserting that:

No deletions will be made without notification and proper appeal procedures.

Draft rolls will be published on August 1, with a claim and objection window running until September 1.

Extensive outreach was undertaken: door-to-door visits, special camps across urban wards, advertisements in 246 newspapers, and coordination with party booth-level agents.

During a Supreme Court review, the EC was urged to consider allowing widely accepted documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards for proof of identity, though the commission has yet to accept this suggestion.

The ongoing SIR exercise aims to cleanse Bihar’s electoral rolls of outdated, duplicate, or invalid entries, with the final list expected before upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for October–November 2025.