Bihar SIR: People from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar found during drive; will not be included in final voter list, says Election Commission

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (July 13, 2025) said a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found during house-to-house visits in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls in Bihar and the names of such people will not be included in the final voters list to be published on September 30, 2025.

Bihar Special Intensive Revision: Over 74% electors submit enumeration forms, says Election Commission of India

The Bihar SIR began on June 25 and the last date for submitting Enumeration Forms given by Booth Level Officers to voters is July 25, following which a draft list would be brought out on August 1. The ECI has given a list of 11 documents to be submitted as proofs along with the forms which does not include Aadhaar, EPIC or Ration Cards. However, the poll body has said that the documentary proofs can be submitted even during the claims period following the publication of the draft Electoral Rolls.

On July 10, hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the Bihar SIR, the Supreme Court had urged the ECI to consider Aadhaar, EPIC cards and Ration Cards as documentary proofs as well. The case is listed to be heard again on July 28, days before the scheduled publication of the draft voters list on August 1.

On Sunday (July 13, 2025), the ECI sources said that during the house-to-house visits during SIR in Bihar, a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found by BLOs. “Their names shall not be included in the final list to be published on September 30, 2025 after proper enquiry is conducted after August 1, 2025,” sources said.

Also Read: ​Careful curation | On Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls

The ECI had said on Saturday (July 12, 2025) that having completed 100% printing and near completion of distribution of EFs to all electors who were found at their addresses, as of 6 p.m. on Saturday (July 12, 2025) collection crossed 6,32,59,497 or 80.11%. “Which means four out of every five electors in Bihar has submitted the EF,” it said.

Field-level teams including 38 District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across all 243 Assembly Constituencies, and 963 Assistant EROs (AEROs) are being closely monitored by the CEO for this purpose.