Poll duty: An officer checks documents during the SIR of electoral rolls at Jogbani in Araria district of Bihar. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Saturday (August 30, 2025) that it had received more than 1.97 lakh requests from individuals to exclude names from the voters’ list in Bihar under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.
The poll body said that while 1,97,764 requests were for exclusion, as many as 29,872 requests were made for inclusion in the electoral rolls. It said that 33,771 requests filed for claims and objections were disposed of after seven days.
Under the election laws, people and parties have the right to challenge inclusion of names they think are ineligible in the draft rolls. Similarly, people who think they are eligible but have been left out can also seek inclusion.
The draft electoral rolls were published on August 1, 2025. It will remain open for “claims and objections” by individuals and political parties till September 1, 2025.
The draft electoral rolls had 7.24 crore names, 65 lakh less than those included in the voter list published before the SIR began. According to the SIR order dated June 24, all voters registered after 2003 were required to submit documents proving the date and/or place of birth — as well as that of their parents (for those born after July 1, 1987) — thereby establishing their citizenship.
Final list on September 30
The final electoral roll for Bihar, which is likely to go to polls in November, will be published on September 30, 2025.
Booth-level agents appointed by political parties have so far filed 25 claims regarding inclusion in the draft list and 103 on exclusion. According to the ECI, 99.11% of the 7.24 crore electors of the State have so far submitted their documents for verification.
Published – August 30, 2025 09:57 pm IST
