Patna, India – The Election Commission (EC) has clarified the addition of approximately 3 lakh new voters to Bihar's electoral rolls following concerns raised by the Congress party regarding a perceived mismatch in voter data. The clarification comes after the Congress, in a social media post, pointed out discrepancies between the 7.42 crore voters initially announced by the EC on October 6 and the subsequent figure of 7.45 crore in later releases.
EC officials explained that the initial figure of 7.42 crore represented the final electoral roll published on September 30, following a special intensive revision (SIR). The addition of 3 lakh voters occurred after this date, as eligible citizens could still apply for inclusion until 10 days before the nomination deadlines for either phase of the polls.
According to election rules, any eligible citizen can apply to have their name added to the electoral roll until 10 days before the last date for filing nominations for each phase of the election, even after the announcement of elections. The EC officials stated that all valid applications received from October 1 until 10 days before the last date of nominations in both phases were examined, and the names of eligible voters were added to the list according to the rules. This was done to ensure that no eligible voter was deprived of their right to vote. The revised number of voters was then reflected in the Election Commission's press release issued after voting.
The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has been a subject of scrutiny. Earlier reports indicated that discrepancies were found in the documents of approximately 3 lakh electors, who were then issued notices to appear before Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). This was part of an effort to verify entries in the draft roll, particularly for those registered after 2003, who were required to submit documents proving their date and/or place of birth, as well as those of their parents if born after July 1, 1987, to establish citizenship.
During the SIR process, the EC claimed to have deleted a significant number of voters due to various reasons such as death, migration, duplication, or untraceability. The deletion of voters and the subsequent addition of new electors led to some confusion and legal challenges. The Supreme Court had previously directed the EC to furnish details of voters excluded from the final electoral roll after the SIR exercise. The court also addressed concerns about voters being deleted without proper notice or reason.
The Election Commission has maintained that all procedures were followed correctly and that the additions and deletions were made in accordance with the established rules and regulations. The EC's lawyer declared in the Supreme Court that every individual voter deleted from the voters' list was given the 'order'. The current clarification regarding the 3 lakh new electors aims to address the concerns raised by the Congress and ensure transparency in the electoral process.
