Congress Alleges Electoral Roll Revision in Bihar Is a ‘Sinister’ Attempt to Disenfranchise Voters
The Indian National Congress has strongly criticized the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it a “sinister exercise” aimed at depriving lakhs of voters of their constitutional right to vote.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal accused the government of orchestrating the revision with “unnecessary haste” and ignoring legitimate concerns raised by opposition parties. “This government specialises in giving people hell. The SIR is a sinister exercise to deprive lakhs of voters of their franchise,” Venugopal stated in a post on X.
The Congress, along with other INDIA bloc members—including the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, DMK, NCP (Sharad Pawar), CPI(M), CPI(ML), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray)—met with the ECI on July 3 to express apprehensions about the timing and scale of the revision. They alleged that over two crore voters could be disenfranchised just ahead of the assembly elections.
The SIR involves door-to-door verification of identity and residential documents, with the aim of re-enrolling eligible voters and creating a fresh electoral roll. The EC clarified that the exercise would cover 2.93 crore voters out of Bihar’s 7.89 crore electorate, and is being conducted in a planned, structured, and phased manner.
However, opposition leaders argue that the documentation requirements—such as proof of citizenship and residence—are overly burdensome, especially for rural and migrant populations. Many residents reportedly lack the specified documents, raising fears of mass exclusion.
Congress leaders have labeled the move a “clear conspiracy” to undermine the electoral system in Bihar. Bihar Congress President Rajesh Kumar claimed the revision could strip away voting rights from 20% of the state’s electorate, citing logistical challenges and the exclusion of migrant workers.
Independent MP Pappu Yadav also condemned the revision, calling for a “do-or-die battle” to protect the identity and rights of Bihari citizens. He accused the EC of acting as an “office of the RSS,” further intensifying political tensions.
In response to the backlash, the EC stated that the revision is in line with constitutional provisions and the Representation of the People Act. It urged political parties to appoint more booth-level agents to assist in the process and reiterated its commitment to inclusive voter registration.
As Bihar prepares for its upcoming assembly elections, the controversy surrounding the SIR has sparked a broader debate on electoral integrity, transparency, and the role of administrative discretion in democratic processes.
