The Election Commission (EC) has announced that around 35 lakh names will be removed from Bihar’s voter list as part of a special update before the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for October-November 2025.
The EC is currently conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. So far, 88.18% of the total 7.89 crore voters have been checked through door-to-door visits.
Out of these, 6.6 crore people have either:
- Submitted their voter verification forms
- Been found to have passed away
- Moved out of Bihar permanently
- Or registered more than once
As a result, about 35 lakh names (nearly 5%) have been removed from the list.
Why Are the Names Being Removed?
Here’s the breakup of the 35 lakh:
- 12.5 lakh voters have died but were still on the list.
- 17.5 lakh have shifted to other states.
- 5.5 lakh were found to be registered in two places.
What’s Next?
- Only 11.82% of voters are left to submit their verification forms.
- The draft voter list will be published on August 1.
- If anyone doesn’t submit their form by July 25, their name won’t appear in the draft list.
Can Voters Still Apply Later?
Yes. Voters can still:
- Submit Form 6 with a declaration to add their name during the claims and objections period.
- Booth-level agents (BLAs) are allowed to submit up to 10 forms daily, even after the draft list is out.
- The final voter list will be published on September 30.
Court Involvement
More than 10 petitions, including one by the Association for Democratic Reforms, were filed in the Supreme Court against the EC’s revision process.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed the EC to continue the scrutiny, calling it a “constitutional mandate.”
It also told the EC to accept Aadhaar cards, Voter ID cards, and ration cards as valid documents for voter identification.
