The Election Commission (EC) has announced that the draft electoral roll for Bihar will remain open until September 1 for claims and objections. During this period, political parties and individuals can seek the inclusion of eligible citizens who may have been left out, as well as the removal of names they believe are ineligible.
Between August 1 and 3 pm on August 10 (Sunday), no Booth-Level Agent (BLA) appointed by political parties approached election authorities for the claims and objections process. According to the EC, 1.61 lakh BLAs have been deployed by various parties ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of state electoral rolls, which began in June.
So far, 8,341 forms have been submitted seeking the inclusion or removal of names from the voter list.
The draft list forms part of the ongoing SIR of Bihar’s voter roll, which has sparked protests from opposition parties. They allege the exercise could disenfranchise eligible citizens due to a lack of required documents. The protests have also led to disruptions in both Houses of Parliament since the Monsoon session began on July 21.
In response, the EC reiterated that no eligible voter will be excluded from the electoral rolls. The final voter list is scheduled for publication on September 30.
