The New Electorate: Bihar Releases Final Voter Roll After Special Revision
Patna | September 30, 2025
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the final electoral roll for Bihar following the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR), confirming a net decrease in the total number of voters ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The meticulous, months-long exercise was aimed at cleansing the list of ineligible names and adding new, eligible electors.
The final count of voters stands at approximately 7.42 crore, which represents a drop of about 6% from the pre-SIR number of 7.89 crore voters.
The Numbers: Deletions and Additions
The SIR process was an extensive operation that involved Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the participation of political parties. The final list reflects the following key changes:
Initial Draft Controversy: The revision first hit the headlines with the publication of the draft roll on August 1, which saw a massive deletion of over 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters. These initial removals were cited due to reasons like death, permanent migration, or duplicate entries. This significant drop immediately sparked a political firestorm, with opposition parties taking the issue to the Supreme Court and alleging large-scale attempts to disenfranchise genuine voters.
Final Deletions: From the subsequent draft list, a total of 3.66 lakh (370,000) ineligible voters were ultimately removed. These were voters who had failed to submit the required supporting documents after their names were initially included in the draft roll.
New Inclusions: Counterbalancing the deletions, 21.53 lakh (2.15 million) eligible electors were added to the roll after successfully submitting applications via Form 6. This addition included a significant number of first-time voters.
The net effect of these claims, objections, deletions, and additions is the final figure of 7.42 crore electors.
The Appeal Process Explained
For any eligible citizen who still finds their name missing from the final published roll, the ECI has kept the doors open for rectification.
Late Inclusion: An eligible person can still apply for inclusion in the electoral roll up to ten days before the last date for filing nominations for the election.
Formal Appeal: If a person is dissatisfied with a decision made by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) regarding an entry in the final electoral roll, they have a formal route for redressal under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950:
A first appeal can be filed with the District Magistrate (DM).
A second appeal can be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar.
Political and Electoral Significance
The conclusion of the Special Intensive Revision carries immense political weight. The process, which drew sharp criticism from the Opposition for its scope and timing so close to an election, has resulted in a cleaner, albeit smaller, voter base.
The high volume of new additions (over 21 lakh) suggests a successful push for new voter registration, particularly among the youth. Meanwhile, the overall 6% drop signals a more accurate roll, free of duplicate or deceased entries. However, the initial controversy over the 65 lakh deletions means the political focus remains on how effective the ECI was in ensuring every genuine voter was finally re-included.
The final electoral roll is the official starting point for the state’s political parties as they strategize for the forthcoming polls, with the attention now shifting to the Election Commission's next step: the announcement of the election schedule.
