Bihar Elections: Final Voter List Released Amid ‘Vote Theft’ Row, Poll Dates Expected Soon
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday released the final voter list for the Bihar Assembly elections, setting the stage for the announcement of poll dates while a major political and legal controversy over the revision process continues to unfold. The list was published after the completion of a contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which the Opposition has decried as an attempt at mass disenfranchisement.
According to the updated figures, the total number of registered voters has increased, with Patna district alone adding 1,63,600 new voters to reach a total of 48,15,294. The SIR, conducted in Bihar for the first time in 22 years, has been at the centre of a fierce political storm. Opposition parties, led by Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, have conducted a “Voter Adhikar Yatra” across the state, alleging the revision was a “vote theft” operation designed to exclude poor and minority voters, and accusing the poll body of colluding with the BJP.
These serious allegations have cast a long shadow over the credibility of the electoral roll.The matter has also escalated to the Supreme Court, where petitioners warned that the revision could strip lakhs of their voting rights. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi has taken a strong stance, observing that they would not hesitate to scrap the voter rolls if irregularities are found and emphasizing “en masse inclusion” over “en masse exclusion.”
The court also permitted Aadhaar as a valid registration document despite the EC’s concerns. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 7, a date that may coincide with the poll announcement.With the final list now published, the Election Commission is proceeding with preparations. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and his team are set to visit Bihar on October 4-5 to review arrangements. As the term of the current assembly ends on November 22, sources suggest the election schedule could be announced between October 6 and 7, right after the EC’s visit.
