The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revealed a surprising lack of claims or objections from political parties regarding the draft electoral rolls for Bihar. Published on August 1, 2025, the draft saw zero submissions from parties over a three-day window ending August 4. This quiet response comes despite the high stakes of voter list accuracy ahead of upcoming elections.
While political parties remained silent, individual voters were more proactive. A total of 1,927 electors directly filed claims or objections during the same period. The ECI clarified that any changes to the draft list require a formal speaking order from Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) after due inquiry.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 process has been under scrutiny. Following the enumeration phase, the commission allowed a one-month window for public submissions, emphasizing that no names would be removed without proper justification. To streamline participation, the ECI provided online verification tools and submission portals for voter information updates.
Political engagement at the grassroots level appeared strong, with approximately 1.60 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from 12 major parties participating in the revision process. The ECI also launched a drive for updated voter ID photographs, setting a September 1 deadline for submissions to Booth Level Officers.
However, the revision hasn’t been without controversy. Opposition groups under the INDIA bloc have raised concerns about potential mass deletions, citing data showing 35 lakh untraceable voters. The ECI maintains that its process ensures fairness, but the debate over voter list integrity continues.
With the absence of formal objections from parties, all eyes now turn to how the remaining claims will be processed. The ECI’s commitment to transparency will be tested as the revision period progresses.