As Bihar gears up for upcoming elections, a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is underway. As of today, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have completed the first phase of door-to-door visits, reaching approximately 1.5 crore households across the state. During these visits, a significant 87% of Enumeration Forms (EFs) have been distributed to eligible voters. This translates to 68,617,932 forms out of a total of approximately 78,969,844, which accounts for voters enrolled as of June 24, 2025.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated this comprehensive exercise to verify and update voter information in Bihar ahead of the polls, with the final electoral roll slated for publication on September 30, 2025. The SIR process is being carried out in a structured five-phase approach. The first phase, which involved the distribution of EFs, ran from June 25 to July 3, 2025. The second phase focuses on collecting these filled-out forms from electors by July 25.
While the distribution of forms has been largely successful, with 87% already in the hands of voters, the return rate is currently at 5%. Approximately 3.8 million forms have been filled up, signed, and submitted to the BLOs. The ECI has deployed nearly 400,000 volunteers, including government officials, NCC cadets, and NSS members, to assist voters, particularly the elderly, those with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, in completing and submitting their forms.
The ECI has clarified that electors can submit required documents even after submitting the enumeration forms. Those who were on the 2003 Bihar rolls, or their children, are not required to submit any additional documents. However, individuals born before July 1, 1987, must provide any one of eleven listed documents to prove citizenship. Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, need to submit documents for themselves and one parent, while those born after December 2, 2004, must provide documents for themselves and both parents.
The SIR exercise has a clearly defined timeline. The option to submit EFs online became available on July 3, 2025. The draft electoral roll, which includes names of those who have submitted EFs with the necessary documents by July 25, will be published on August 1, 2025. Electors who miss the initial deadline can still apply during the claims and objections period using Form 6, the standard application for new voters, along with a declaration form. Claims and objections to the draft roll can be submitted between August 1 and September 1, and the final electoral roll will be published on September 30.
The Election Commission has also addressed concerns raised by some political parties regarding potential voter disenfranchisement. The ECI maintains that the SIR will ensure that all eligible persons are included in the electoral rolls. The verification of uploaded forms has already commenced, and eligibility will be rigorously checked after the draft electoral rolls are published on August 2, 2025. The ECI has emphasized that the BLOs will make multiple visits to electors' homes during the exercise, increasing the likelihood of reaching those who were initially unavailable. Moreover, 154,000 booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by recognized political parties can work with BLOs to ensure transparency, submit enumeration forms in bulk, and file claims and objections.
