The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly polls. This comprehensive exercise aims to verify the eligibility of all voters in the state, ensuring a clean and accurate electoral roll. As part of this process, the ECI has deployed 1.55 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognized national and state political parties, with the possibility of more joining as the revision progresses.
The special revision adheres to Article 326 of the Constitution, mandating that only Indian citizens aged 18 or above and ordinarily residing in a constituency are eligible to vote. The ECI's intensified revision seeks to include all eligible citizens, remove ineligible voters, and introduce complete transparency in the process of adding or deleting electors.
The ECI is augmenting its booth-level workforce by appointing 20,603 additional Booth Level Officers (BLOs), increasing the current strength to 77,895 BLOs across the state. Furthermore, over 100,000 volunteers are assisting genuine electors, especially the elderly, sick, persons with disabilities, the poor, and other vulnerable groups, in filling out the new Enumeration Forms (EFs).
The SIR exercise began on June 25, 2025, with the printing of forms and is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2025, with the publication of the updated voter rolls. Enumeration Forms (EFs) are being distributed door-to-door across all 243 assembly constituencies and are also available online for Bihar's 78.9 million registered voters. Of these, 49.6 million electors already listed in the 2003 revision need only verify their details and resubmit the EF.
The ECI is also using SMS messages to reach out to over 57.4 million registered mobile numbers in Bihar to ensure wide outreach. Divisional commissioners and district magistrates are coordinating the full-time deployment of BLOs.
However, the revision has faced opposition, with some parties alleging potential disenfranchisement of vulnerable populations. Concerns have been raised about the requirement for voters to produce documents establishing their date and place of birth, as well as those of their parents if born after 1987. Opposition leaders have questioned the timing and intention behind the exercise, particularly the demand for documents that poorer sections of society may not possess. It has been pointed out that a similar exercise conducted 22 years ago took two years to complete, raising concerns about the feasibility of revising the rolls in just over three months.
The ECI maintains that no name will be deleted from the roll without proper inquiry and a fair opportunity for the affected elector to appeal to the District Magistrate, with a second appeal option to the Chief Electoral Officer. The draft electoral roll will be published by August 1, with the final roll expected by September 30, after a period for claims and objections. The draft and final electoral rolls will be available on the CEO's website and shared with recognized political parties.
