The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (July 13, 2025) said that a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar were found during house-to-house verification of electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar. The names of such people will not be included in the final voter list to be published on September 30, it added.
Also Read: Bihar Special Intensive Revision: Over 74% electors submit enumeration forms, says Election Commission of India
The SIR began on June 25, and the last date for submitting enumeration forms given by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to voters is July 25, following which a draft list will be brought out on August 1. The EC said a proper inquiry will be conducted after the draft list is released.
Earlier, leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had jointly attacked the ECI, alleging contradictions and democratic concerns in the data presented by the poll body on July 12 related to the SIR process. The leaders, including Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, said that such shortcomings call into question “public trust” in the process. He also alleged that fake data are being uploaded in ECI sites.
Mr. Yadav was accompanied by Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar, Congress Legislature Party leader Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani, Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist)’s Dhirendra Kumar Jha, CPI (Marxist) State secretary Lalan Choudhary and CPI’s Rambabu.
Listing out the alleged shortcomings, Mr. Yadav said the ECI had claimed that 80.11% of voters had submitted the enumeration forms, but it had not announced how many of these forms were filled in a verified, voluntary and valid manner.
Also Read: Careful curation | On Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
“It is being reported continuously from the field that the forms are being uploaded by BLOs by using fake thumb imprints or signatures without the knowledge and consent of the voters. The figures merely show the uploading [of forms], while the ECI has not given any guarantee of authenticity, consent and validity. The claims of the ECI are completely contrary to ground reality,” Mr. Yadav said.
He further said that the ECI’s press release had stated that the documents can be submitted later as well, but no clear order or notification had been issued in this regard. Mr. Yadav also asked how the nearly four crore Bihar migrant workers will be included in the list.
Various Opposition parties have questioned the ECI and branded the SIR as “NRC [National Register of Citizens] through the backdoor” which will result in disenfranchisement of marginalised communities, minorities and women who will not have the said documents.
When asked about the ECI’s claims that a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found on rolls, Mr. Yadav said, “Hum aise sutr ko mutr samjhte hai [I consider such sources of the ECI as akin to urine]. The ECI is getting news planted through sources so that it can play its game behind the scenes. These are the same sources that claimed we had captured Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi during Operation Sindoor.”
The Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly also pointed out that the ECI had not issued any formal revised notification despite the Supreme Court’s advice to consider Aadhaar and ration cards as valid proof for the SIR process.
When asked about the ECI’s claims that a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found in rolls, Mr. Yadav said, “Hum aise sutr ko mutr samjhte hai [I consider such sources of the ECI as akin to urine]. The ECI is getting news planted through sources so that it can play its game behind the scenes. These are the same sources that claimed we had captured Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi during Operation Sindoor.”
During the joint press briefing at his official 1, Polo Road residence, two videos were screened. In one video, many enumeration forms were seen with a jalebi seller in Jharkhand while another video showed discarded forms on a flyover near Gandhi maidan in Patna.
“The ECI is silent on the possibility of fake uploading of forms. Today, a newspaper report from Jamui [close to Jharkhand border] showed a jalebi seller in Deoghar, Jharkhand, having thousands of these forms. Many videos have gone viral showing thousands of forms lying on roads,” Mr. Yadav said.
The former Deputy Chief Minister alleged that in many districts, booth-level agents of Opposition parties were informed and were prevented from actively participating in the process.
“The ECI is losing credibility due to the hasty manner in which voter forms are being uploaded. There have been many reports of BLOs and Electoral Registration Officers [EROs] are under pressure to reach targets for uploading,” Mr. Yadav said.
Criticising the ECI, he alleged that the SIR was an eyewash and was being manipulated on the instructions of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He further asked why the ECI had not given any acknowledgement receipt after voters submit their form, and said the entire process was a “violation of informed consent” and increased the possibility of name deletion, rejection of objections and biased behaviour.
Later in the evening, the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer refuted both allegations.
Bihar BJP spokesperson Niraj Kumar also took a dig at Mr. Yadav. “Calling the ECI’s sources as ‘urine’ is the real face of the RJD. They insult constitutional institutions, spit on democracy. Tejashwi’s filthy language reflects his frustration over defeat, as the people of Bihar have rejected his negative politics. By questioning the ECI‘s impartiality, does Tejashwi want to push Bihar back into the fire of jungle raj?”
The BJP leader also demanded an apology over his statement.
The EC has given an “indicative” list of 11 documents to be submitted as proofs along with the forms, which does not include Aadhaar, EPIC or Ration Cards.
Earlier, the poll body had said that documentary proof can be submitted even during the claims period following the publication of the draft electoral rolls. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Bihar later this year.
On July 10, hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the Bihar SIR, the Supreme Court had urged the ECI to consider Aadhaar, EPIC cards and ration cards as documentary proof as well. The case is listed to be heard again on July 28, days before the scheduled publication of the draft voters list on August 1.
The ECI had in its June 24 order said that eventually, the SIR would be carried out across the country. A letter had reportedly been sent to all State Chief Electoral Officers to prepare for the exercise.
The poll body’s move is significant in view of crucial Assembly elections due next year in the five States of West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
Various States are also carrying out a crackdown on illegal foreign migrants, including those from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Published – July 13, 2025 12:13 pm IST
www.thehindu.com (Article Sourced Website)
#Bihar #SIR #People #Nepal #Bangladesh #Myanmar #drive #included #final #voter #list #Election #Commission