Intensive electoral roll revision: Booth officers fan out across Bihar, hand out forms to 1 crore voters

As per the EC’s directions, every eligible voter will have to submit an individual enumeration form. Those born after 1987 and added to the rolls after January 1, 2003 — the year of the last intensive revision — will have to additionally provide proof of their citizenship with documents, including pension documents, birth certificate, passport, educational certificates etc.

It’s this requirement that has set off concerns, with Opposition parties alleging that the move is an attempt to disenfranchise the poor and those from minority communities.

The EC, however, clarified that nearly 60% of Bihar’s current electorate of 7.89 crore — about 4.96 crore voters — are already listed in the 2003 electoral rolls and need not submit any additional documents. “They only need to verify their details and submit the filled-up enumeration form,” the EC clarified. The election body added that children of these 4.96 crore electors do not need to submit any document relating to their parents.

For new applicants, the EC had asked for birth documents of self for those born before July 1, 1987; of self and one parent for those born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004; of self and both parents for those born after December 2, 2004.

In a statement released on Monday, P Pawan, Deputy Director of Election Commission of India, said, “The ease of availability of the 2003 electoral rolls of Bihar would hugely facilitate the ongoing special intensive revision in Bihar as now nearly 60 per cent of the total electorate would not have to submit any documents. They have to just verify their details from the 2003 electoral rolls and submit the filled-up enumeration form. Both the electors as well the BLOs would be able to readily access these details.”

According to the EC, voters will have to submit their filled-up forms by July 25, after which a fresh voter list will be compiled on August 1. Objections and claims will be entertained until September 1, and the final revised electoral list will be prepared by September 30. Bihar goes to the polls in October-November this year.

“The forms are being delivered door-to-door by polling station officials, who have undergone special training for the task. More than 1 crore enumeration forms have been distributed to voters across various districts in Bihar. This process is being carried out at a rapid pace under the direction of the Election Commission of India. District election officers are actively monitoring the process on the ground, conducting field visits with polling officials to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the exercise,” said Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar.

Election officials said all major political parties have been “actively participating” in the revision drive and have so far appointed more than 1.5 lakh booth-level agents (BLAs) to verify the work done by the EC.

“All political parties have been appointing BLAs to ensure the accuracy of the voter list… A total of 2,25,590 people, including 81,753 administrative staff and 1,43,837 volunteers, have been deployed in the ongoing campaign across the state to strengthen and expand the distribution and collection of enumeration forms,” said Gunjiyal

According to data shared by the EC with The Indian Express, the NDA has fielded 82,616 BLAs at polling stations and the INDIA bloc has deployed 56,038 agents.

However, the EC announcement has been met with concern among voters in some of the poorer districts in the state, including Kishanganj, Purnia, Araria and Katihar.

Adil Hasan Azad, a political activist from Katihar, said, “Seemanchal has traditionally been under-developed and poorly administered. Here, most voters born after 1987 only have Aadhaar cards, which were being accepted as proof of one’s birth. When there are not even ration cards for all in these parts, how can the EC expect people to have passports, birth certificates and documents for caste and pension? Since many of them never went to school, they don’t have their birth records.”