Election Watchdog Raises Alarm Over Potential Mass Voter Exclusion in Bihar
Election Watchdog Raises Alarm Over Potential Mass Voter Exclusion in Bihar
The petition highlights the exclusion of widely held documents like Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards from the ECI’s list of acceptable proofs, which the Supreme Court has suggested should be considered.
By RMN News Service
Patna, July 26, 2025 – The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a prominent election watchdog, has filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court, urging immediate intervention to halt the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. The move comes amid concerns that the exercise could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters ahead of the state’s Assembly elections scheduled for November 2025.
The ADR contends that the ECI’s directive, issued on June 24, 2025, imposes stringent documentation requirements that risk excluding large sections of Bihar’s 7.9 crore-strong electorate, particularly marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and migrant workers.
The SIR mandates voters not listed in the 2003 electoral rolls—approximately 2.93 crore individuals—to submit proof of citizenship, including documents verifying their or their parents’ eligibility. Critics argue this creates an impractical burden, especially in a state with high poverty and migration rates, where many lack access to documents like birth certificates or parental records.
The petition highlights the exclusion of widely held documents like Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards from the ECI’s list of acceptable proofs, which the Supreme Court has suggested should be considered. The ADR argues that the short timeline for compliance, ending July 25, 2025, exacerbates the risk, with reports indicating that lakhs of voters, particularly from rural and marginalized groups, may be unable to meet these requirements. The watchdog warns that this could lead to the removal of over three crore voters, undermining the democratic right to vote.
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The ECI defends the SIR, stating it aims to ensure only eligible citizens are included in the voter list by addressing issues like migration, deaths, and duplicate entries. In a recent affidavit, the ECI clarified that exclusion from the voter rolls does not affect citizenship and that those who missed the July 25 deadline would have a chance to submit documents during a subsequent claims and objections period. The commission reported that, as of July 18, enumeration forms had been collected from 90.12% of voters, with only 0.01% untraceable.
However, opposition leaders, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, have labeled the SIR a “conspiracy” to suppress votes from Dalits, backward classes, and minorities. They argue the timing, just months before the elections, raises suspicions of a targeted effort to influence the electoral outcome. The Supreme Court, in hearings on July 10, questioned the ECI’s timing and authority, noting that citizenship verification is the Home Ministry’s domain, and urged the inclusion of Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards to ease the process.
The ADR’s plea seeks a stay on the SIR, arguing it violates constitutional rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326, as well as provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, 1950. The Supreme Court is set to review the matter further on July 28, as concerns mount over the potential impact on Bihar’s democratic process. With the state’s electoral rolls under scrutiny, the outcome of this legal challenge could set a precedent for voter verification drives nationwide.
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