RJD challenges Bihar voter list revision in Supreme Court, ‘initial phase completed,’ says Election Commission

The Election Commission on July 6 asserted that Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar was ‘being implemented smoothly at the ground level’ and 'there is no change in instructions."

The poll panel also said that the initial phase of the revision exercise, during which enumeration forms were to be printed and distributed, is almost complete with the forms having been made available to all the electors who were available.

The panel reiterated that the SIR is being conducted as per the instructions dated June 24, and there has been no change in the instructions.

“As per instructions, draft electoral rolls that will be issued on 1 August 2025 will contain the names of persons whose enumeration forms are received,” it said.

SIR challenged in theSupreme Court

On behalf of RJD, the party's Rajya Sabha MP, Manoj Jha, has challenged in the Supreme Court the Election Commission of India's move, in which the Commission has directed the immediate implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list across Bihar, a few months before the assembly elections, news agency ANI said.

On Saturday, election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms(ADR) moved a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll in Bihar. The plea argues that the ECI's order is arbitrary and could potentially lead to the disenfranchisement of millions of voters.

The EC began the exercise on June 25 across Bihar, to what it called “weed out ineligible names” and ensure “only eligible citizens” are included in the electoral roll.

Beware of statements: EC

The EC made it clear on Sunday that while voters were required to "submit their documents anytime before July 25, 2025", those who failed to do so would get an opportunity "during the Claims & Objections period also".

The EC also urged people to "beware of statements being made by a few persons, who without reading the SIR order dated 24 June 2025.... are attempting to confuse the public with their incorrect and misleading statements".

The clarification comes in the wake of several social media posts, including one by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, about an EC advertisement published in a newspaper claiming "now only forms are to be filled. There is no need to submit documents".

Alleging that the SIR was a "conspiracy by BJP-RSS to snatch away the voting rights of Dalits and other deprived sections", Kharge had said that the BJP, which ruled the Centre and shared power in Bihar, "is now getting trapped in its own master plan".

Echoing Kharge's post on X, Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar alleged at a press conference: "The ad exposes the incompetence of the EC and gives rise to doubts of unethical help extended to the ruling party".

Assembly polls are due in Bihar in a couple of months, and the EC exercise, which seeks to cover nearly eight crore voters by July 25, has become a major bone of contention in the state.

Leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has questioned why, unlike the previous revision which took place in 2003 across the country, the current exercise was being carried out only in Bihar.

INDIA bloc leaders have also held parleys with EC officials in New Delhi and Patna to share their anxieties.

However, the BJP-led NDA defended the exercise, accusing the opposition of trying to come up with an "excuse ahead of a certain defeat in elections".

“As of today, at 6.00 PM, 1,69,49,208 Enumeration Forms i.e. 21.46 per cent of the total of 7,89,69,844 (nearly 7.90 crore) electors in Bihar who are enrolled as on June 24, 2025, have been received. In the last 24 hours i.e. from 6.00 PM yesterday, 65,32,663 Enumeration Forms have been collected. There are still 19 days to go for the last date for submission of forms,” the poll panel said on Sunday.

Bihar's state Chief Electoral Officer said on Sunday: "SIR in Bihar is progressing as per ECI’s order dated 24 June 2025. As per that order, the draft electoral rolls that will be issued on 1 August 2025 will contain the names of the existing electors whose enumeration forms are received".

"All measures are being taken to facilitate the existing electors to complete the documentation. These existing voters will have time to submit the documents even after first submitting their Enumeration Forms. All activities are exactly as per ECI’s order dated 24.06.2025," said the CEO in another post.

Shortly afterwards, "EC sources" were quoted in another, more strongly worded statement, shared by the poll panel in its WhatsApp group.

The statement said, “SIR in Bihar is being implemented smoothly at the ground level. SIR is being conducted as per instructions dated 24.06.2025 only, and there is no change in the instructions.”

According to the EC, the exercise was necessitated by rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths, and the inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants.

The poll panel said it wants to ensure the integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls through the exercise.

(WIth PTI inputs)