Bihar begins Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls; 2.93 crore voters asked to produce proof of birth date and place

Almost 2.93 crore voters in Bihar must produce documents establishing the date and place of their own birth as well as of their parents in the case of those born after 1987, as a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the State’s electoral rolls began on Saturday (June 28, 2025).

The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that it has decided to start the SIR exercise across the whole country, starting with Bihar, with schedules for this to be issued separately.

The last such intensive revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003, with January 1, 2003 as the qualifying date. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar told The Hindu that the exercise was a proud moment for all Indians but Opposition parties are up in arms against the SIR, which they have branded as more dangerous than the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Also Read | Move to bring NRC through backdoor: TMC on EC’s special intensive revision of electoral roll

Proof of voter eligibility

State government officials began distributing enumeration forms to all registered voters on Saturday (June 28, 2025). The SIR exercise began on June 25 with the printing of the forms, and is scheduled to end on September 30 with the publication of the updated voter rolls.

Bihar has 7,89,69,844 electors, of which the names of 4.96 crore were already present in the electoral rolls when the last SIR was carried out in 2003. These electors just have to verify themselves by filling the enumeration forms and submitting them.

However, the ECI’s guidelines say that anyone whose name was not recorded in the 2003 electoral rolls must establish their eligibility to be an elector and submit proof using a wide range of eligible government documents.

For those born before July 1, 1987, any document establishing their own date and place of birth must be submitted. For younger people born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004, documents must be submitted to prove their own date and place of birth along with either one of their parents. For those born after December 2, 2004, the proofs of place and date of birth have to be given for themselves and both their parents.

Also Read | AIMIM raises concerns over Election Commission’s special intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar

‘Threat of disenfranchisement’

ECI sources said the poll body already has 77,895 booth-level officers (BLOs) and is appointing nearly 20,603 more for new polling stations. More than one lakh volunteers will assist genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor, and other vulnerable groups during the SIR.

“Proud moment for all Indians. Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters,” CEC Gyanesh Kumar told The Hindu.

Opposition parties, however, have made widespread allegations of electoral roll tampering. Almost all of them have protested the SIR, asserting that it poses a serious threat of disenfranchisement.

‘Backdoor NRC’

“It is a sinister move to bring NRC through the backdoor. In 1935, under the Nazis (in Germany), you were supposed to be given an ancestor pass... Is this the new version of that Nazi ancestor pass?” Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said.

“Why is this exercise being suddenly done right now? We have evidence as to why it is being done now. It is because the latest internal survey of the BJP for Bengal shows 46 to 49 seats for the party in the State’s [upcoming] Assembly polls. In their desperation to attempt to change things you do such things,” he claimed.

On Friday (June 27, 2025), the Congress had said the exercise carries a huge risk of wilful exclusion of voters, using the power of the state machinery.