Amid sharp criticism from opposition parties, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has made a significant policy shift regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Voters will now be allowed to get verified even without submitting the previously mandatory documents, with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) permitted to verify identity through local investigation and other supporting evidence.The move follows allegations from opposition leaders, particularly RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, who called the document-heavy verification a “conspiracy” to remove crores of voters, accusing the EC of enabling voter suppression in favour of the BJP. Yadav cited that according to government data, only 2–3% of people possess the 11 specific documents initially demanded for verification. These include birth certificates, passports, caste and pension documents, and land or house allotment certificates—but notably exclude Aadhaar.Now, updated EC instructions clarify that voters can simply fill out the enumeration form and submit it to Booth Level Officers (BLOs). If documents or photographs are unavailable, the ERO will personally verify the voter’s eligibility by visiting their home, checking age and residence history, speaking to neighbours, and using other available proof.Ground-Level Verification BeginsIn a poster released on the updated guidelines, the EC stated: “If the necessary documents and photo are not available, then just fill the enumeration form and provide it to the Booth Level Officer.” It added: “If you are unable to provide the necessary documents, the Electoral Registration Officer can take a decision on the basis of local investigation or evidence of other documents.”Sources within the EC explained that EROs will visit the homes of such applicants to confirm voter age (18+), duration of residence, and identity through community inputs. Alternative documentation like ration cards or utility bills may also be used where applicable.According to the Bihar Election Department, more than 1.21 crore forms have been submitted so far, of which 23.9 lakh have already been uploaded into the system. The deadline for form submission is July 25. The EC has also clarified that 4.96 crore voters registered during the 2003 SIR do not need to provide fresh documents.Opposition parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), and Left parties have echoed RJD’s concerns and demanded the rollback of the directive. Several civil society organisations have also voiced alarm over the scale and method of the revision. ADR Moves SC Challenging EC’s Revision of Electoral Roll in Bihar The EC on June 24 issued instructions to carry out the SIR in Bihar, ostensibly to weed out ineligible names and ensure only eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll. Bihar is set to go to polls later this year. However, multiple legal challenges have emerged. An NGO has moved the Supreme Court seeking to set aside the EC’s directive, calling it unconstitutional and violative of Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326 of the Constitution, along with provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1950, and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who filed one of the petitions, warned that the EC’s order “can arbitrarily and without due process” disenfranchise lakhs of genuine voters. “The documentation requirements, lack of due process, and unreasonably short timeline make the exercise prone to exclusion of legitimate voters,” Bhushan said. This is the first such large-scale revision in Bihar since 2003. According to the EC, the revision is essential due to factors like rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, newly eligible young voters, unreported deaths, and the inclusion of foreign illegal immigrants. The SIR is currently being conducted by booth-level officers through door-to-door surveys. The poll body reiterated that it will strictly follow constitutional and legal norms laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of People Act during the process.
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