35 Lakh Bihar Voters' Names On Exclusion List, Poll Body To Share Data

As the July 25 deadline draws close for submission of enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the Election Commission of India has revealed that around 35.6 lakh voters may face exclusion from the final list.

Despite conducting three rounds of field verification, the Commission reported that 4.5 per cent of electors -- 35.69 lakh individuals -- were not found at their registered addresses. 

Of them, 12.5 lakh have been found to have died, 17.5 lakh have permanently migrated, and 5.5 lakh are enrolled in multiple locations, prompting concerns of duplication and ineligibility.

While the Commission has received 88.6 per cent enumeration forms so far, around 54 lakh of Bihar's 7.89 crore voters are yet to submit their forms. Currently, only 6.85 per cent voters remain to complete the process and the Commission has urged them to do so by the deadline to avoid being left out.

EC To Share "Not Found" Voter Data With Parties

In a key step toward transparency and accountability, the Commission has announced that starting July 17, it will begin sharing the names and details of 35.6 lakh voters with recognised political parties. 

This will allow the parties to examine the list and help verify the status of the voters before any name is officially deleted from the roll.

Political parties will also be able to raise objections or present supporting documents to ensure that genuine voters are not mistakenly excluded from the list. This initiative is expected to safeguard electoral integrity, transparency and address concerns of arbitrary deletions raised by opposition parties.

Foreign Nationals Flagged in Roll

During the SIR process, Booth-Level Officers also identified foreign nationals including individuals from Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh who were enrolled in the voter rolls. The EC said these names would be removed after document verification by Electoral Registration Officers.

Those affected have the right to appeal first to the District Collector and then to the Chief Electoral Officer by submitting valid proof of citizenship and eligibility. As of now the Commission has not shared the exact number of foreign nationals in Bihar. 

Political Reactions and Allegations

The Special Intensive Revision has sparked political controversy. Today, Congress's Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of deliberately removing the names of the poor, farmers, and Congress supporters from the electoral rolls in Bihar. 

BJP leader Tom Vadakkan defended the Commission, saying the voters being removed are not Indian citizens but rather "Rohingya and individuals from Myanmar and Bangladesh who have long been part of the Opposition's vote bank".

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticised the move, alleging that the BJP has manipulated voter rolls in states like Maharashtra, Delhi, and now Bihar and Bengal.

"They deleted 35.5 lakh voters in Bihar. They did the same in Maharashtra and Delhi and won. Now they want to repeat it in West Bengal. We won't allow it," she said.

Ms Banerjee vowed to fight back in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, declaring: "We may be injured, but we are united. And we will respond."