Election Commission Big Update: removed over 65 lakh names from voter list

Election Commission Big Update: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the draft electoral roll for Bihar after a “Special Intensive Revision (SIR)” exercise, removing over 65 lakh names from the voter list. The total number of registered voters in the state has now been reduced from around 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore.

The ECI has provided both hard and soft copies of the draft electoral rolls, along with lists of the deleted names, to representatives of recognized political parties. The draft rolls have also been uploaded to the ECI’s official website.

The reasons for the deletions, as stated by the ECI, include:

22.34 lakh deletions due to death

36.28 lakh for permanent shifting or being absent

7.01 lakh for being enrolled in more than one location

The Special Intensive Revision process has drawn criticism from opposition parties who allege it’s an “exercise in exclusion” designed to disenfranchise certain communities and migrant workers.

They argue that many of the “untraceable” voters are simply people who have moved for work and couldn’t participate in the revision process. The matter is currently being heard by the Supreme Court.

The ECI has stated that no name will be deleted from the final voter list without due process, including a notice and a speaking order from the Electoral Registration Officer. The period for filing claims and objections to the draft list is open from August 1 to September 1, and the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on September 30.

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