Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced on Thursday that the draft voter list for Bihar will be published on August 1 as part of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. Citizens and political parties will have time until September 1 to submit applications for inclusion, deletion, or correction of names.

As part of the process, the District Election Officers will distribute both printed and digital copies of the draft roll to all recognized political parties in Bihar’s 38 districts. The effort is aimed at ensuring transparency and accuracy in the electoral list ahead of future elections.

The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) of all 243 Assembly constituencies will begin accepting suggestions and objections from August 1 to September 1. Eligible voters can apply to add their names, request the removal of ineligible names, or seek corrections in the draft list.

Opposition Alleges Bias and Procedural Flaws

The CEC’s announcement comes at a time when opposition parties have been vocally protesting against the ongoing SIR process. They claim that lack of sufficient documentation requirements may result in eligible citizens being deprived of their voting rights.

Furthermore, the opposition has accused the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance of attempting to influence local election officials in their favor during the revision process. This concern has led to daily disruptions in both Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session, with opposition MPs demanding more safeguards to ensure a free and fair electoral process.

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