65 lakh people removed from draft rolls as ECI completes 1st phase of Bihar SIR
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New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) stated on Sunday that it had completed the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, a key step that involved gathering enumeration forms.
This update was issued just ahead of a scheduled Supreme Court hearing on petitions that contest the legality and intent of the revision process.
The enumeration exercise, conducted between June 24 and July 25, 2025, reportedly engaged over 7.24 crore voters out of the total 7.89 crore electorate in the state.
ECI officials described this effort as one of Bihar’s most comprehensive voter verification drives to date, emphasising its commitment to inclusivity and transparency in the lead-up to the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, TNIE reported.
In its official communication, the Commission mentioned that around 65 lakh voters are set to be removed from the draft electoral rolls, which are expected to be published on August 1.
The breakdown of these exclusions includes approximately 22 lakh voters who have passed away, 36 lakh who were either untraceable or have permanently relocated, and another 7 lakh individuals found to be registered in multiple constituencies.
The modification push aims to ensure that "no elector is left behind" by targeting first-time voters, urban dwellers, migrants, senior citizens, and people with disabilities (PwDs), according to the poll panel.
According to the ECI, the process is one of the most extensive voter verification initiatives in the state's history, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and transparency ahead of the critical Bihar Assembly elections.
