The Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified numerous individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. According to ECI officials, these individuals, flagged during house-to-house verifications by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), will not be included in the final voter list set for publication on September 30, 2025, pending further inquiry after August 1.
The SIR, launched on June 25, 2025, aims to ensure the accuracy of Bihar’s voter list ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Over 77,000 BLOs are verifying the credentials of approximately 7.8 crore registered voters. As of July 12, 2025, around 80% of electors had submitted their enumeration forms, with the ECI reporting efficient progress in digitizing and uploading data via its ECINet software. The draft voter list will be released on August 1, allowing claims and objections until August 30.
The process has sparked political debate. Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, have criticized the ECI, alleging the SIR could disenfranchise genuine voters and serve as a political tool to favor the ruling NDA. Yadav dismissed claims of foreign nationals in the voter list as unverified, questioning the ECI’s reliance on unnamed sources. Meanwhile, BJP’s Amit Malviya accused opposition parties of attempting to include non-citizens to bolster their vote banks.
The Supreme Court, addressing petitions challenging the SIR on July 10, advised the ECI to accept Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as valid proof of identity, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for July 28. The ECI clarified that these documents are already part of the verification process but do not automatically confirm voting eligibility. The revision, initially focused on Bihar, is planned to expand nationwide to address concerns about illegal migrants in electoral rolls, particularly in states like Assam and West Bengal, where assembly elections are due in 2026.
This development underscores the ECI’s commitment to maintaining electoral integrity while navigating political sensitivities and public concerns about fair voter inclusion.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 14th, 2025
Follow SouthAsianDesk on X, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business and current affairs from across South Asia.
