A Big Change Before the Elections
On June 24, 2025, just a few months before Bihar’s Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a big plan called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This plan is to update the voter list for Bihar’s 7.9 crore (79 million) voters. The ECI says it’s to make sure only real Indian citizens can vote, removing duplicate names or people who’ve moved or passed away. But opposition parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress are very upset. They think it’s a trick to stop millions of people from voting. This has led to protests, a state-wide bandh (shutdown), and even plans to go to court, making Bihar a hotbed of political drama.
The SIR started on June 25 and will end by September 30. It asks voters to fill out forms, and some have to show papers like birth certificates or passports to prove they’re Indian citizens. About 4.96 crore voters from the 2003 voter list only need to submit a form. But 2.93 crore others, especially those added after 2003 or born after 1987, need extra documents. Opposition leaders say this is hard for poor people, Dalits, and migrant workers who may not have these papers. They’re worried many will lose their right to vote, and they’re calling it unfair.
Why Is the ECI Doing This?
The ECI says the SIR is needed to clean up Bihar’s voter list. They point out that many things have changed since the last big update in 2003. People have moved to cities, new voters have turned 18, some have passed away, and there are concerns about “illegal immigrants” voting. With elections likely in October or November 2025, the ECI wants to make sure only real citizens vote, as the Constitution says only Indians over 18 can vote. They’ve hired over 77,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) and 4 lakh volunteers, including NCC cadets, to go door-to-door and check voter details.
The ECI says the process is fair. They’ve given out forms to 6.86 crore voters (87% of the total), and 1.21 crore have already submitted them. For those on the 2003 list, no extra papers are needed. Even for others, if they don’t have documents, local officers can verify them. The ECI also says voters can challenge any mistakes when the draft voter list comes out on August 1. They want people to trust that no one will be unfairly left out.
Why Is the Opposition So Angry?
Opposition parties, part of the INDIA bloc, think the SIR is a plan to help the ruling BJP-led NDA win the elections. Leaders like Tejashwi Yadav from RJD and Pawan Khera from Congress say the timing is suspicious why start this big change so close to the elections? “In 2003, it took two years to update the voter list. Now they want to check 8 crore voters in just 25 days, during floods?” Yadav said on TV. They argue that many people in Bihar, where poverty is common, don’t have documents like birth certificates. A 2011 survey showed 65% of rural families don’t own land, so they can’t show land papers. Only 2.8% of people born between 2001 and 2005 have birth certificates.
The opposition is also upset because the ECI won’t accept Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or MGNREGA cards as proof. The ECI says these can be faked, especially in border areas like Seemanchal, where they worry about illegal immigrants. But opposition leaders say Aadhaar is the only ID many poor people have. They call the SIR a “backdoor NRC” (like the National Register of Citizens), meant to target certain groups and stop them from voting.
Protests and Promises
The controversy has sparked big protests across Bihar. On July 1, opposition parties called for a bandh, shutting down shops and roads in many areas. Leaders like Yadav have promised to fight the SIR in court, possibly even the Supreme Court. They’re demanding the ECI stop the SIR or make it easier for people to prove their identity. Meanwhile, the ECI is standing firm, saying the process is fair and needed to keep elections honest.
The BJP has defended the SIR, accusing the opposition of spreading fear to gain votes. “The ECI is doing its job to ensure free and fair elections,” said a BJP spokesperson. But the opposition says the SIR could leave out millions of voters, especially from marginalized groups, which could change the election results.
A Bigger Worry for Bihar
This fight over the SIR shows a bigger problem in Bihar and India. The voter list is the heart of democracy, but updating it can be tricky, especially in a state where many people are poor, move often for work, or don’t have proper IDs. The opposition fears the SIR could hurt groups like Dalits, Muslims, and migrant workers the most. They also worry it’s a test run for bigger plans to control who gets to vote.
For now, Bihar is tense. People are worried about losing their right to vote, and the opposition is rallying them to fight back. “We won’t let them steal our democracy,” said a protester in Patna. As the SIR continues, all eyes are on the ECI to see if they can prove this is about fairness, not politics. With elections coming, Bihar’s voters deserve a clear answer.
Last Updated on: Thursday, July 10, 2025 3:59 am by Mohammad Hussain Shaik | Published by: Mohammad Hussain Shaik on Thursday, July 10, 2025 1:03 am | News Categories: News, India, Politics