The Election Commission of India (ECI) has mandated that nearly 80 million voters in Bihar, India’s poorest state, re-register by July 26, 2025, to verify their eligibility, sparking fears of widespread disenfranchisement. The ECI’s directive, announced on June 24, 2025, aims to update electoral rolls by identifying “ineligible voters,” citing concerns over migration, urbanization, and alleged foreign nationals. Voters added to the rolls after 2003 must submit proof of birth and parental identity, while those on the 2003 list need only re-submit registration forms. Approximately 29 million of Bihar’s 79.6 million voters are expected to face this verification process.
Critics argue the move disproportionately targets marginalized communities, particularly Bengali-speaking Muslims, amid recent raids and deportations of suspected undocumented migrants. Bihar, a key political battleground, is preparing for state elections, and the timing of this exercise has raised concerns about political motives, especially given the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rhetoric on immigration. The process has caused panic among rural, impoverished communities, many of whom lack access to required documents, risking loss of voting rights and potential deportation.
The ECI maintains that the verification ensures electoral integrity, but opposition leaders and human rights groups warn it could exclude legitimate voters. Social media discussions highlight public anxiety, with many questioning the fairness of the process in a state where over a third of the population lives below the poverty line.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 12th, 2025
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