The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday removed about 6.56 million names from Bihar electoral rolls published due to death, permanent changes and several nominations, causing the largest single deletion of such entries in the history of independent India.
The announcement was made a few days after the controversial special intensive amendment (SIR) came close to the state; Pol Watchdog said that the real names can be added by 1 September and a verification will be done when objections are raised to a name.
Compared to full number and electoral rolls before the head begins, ECI data showed that the highest deletion of 395,500 voters was seen in Patna district, followed by Madhubani district (352,545), Eastern Champaran District (316,793) and Gopalganj district (310,363).
But in the context of the percentage of 2024 Lok Sabha electoral rolls, Gopalganj district saw the maximum deletion (13.9%), followed by Kichhanj district (10.5%), Purnia district (9.7%), Madhubani (8.7%) and Bhagalpur (7.8%), according to an HT analysis.
In terms of assembly constituencies, the highest percentage of deletion was in Gopalganj Assembly seat, followed by Kuchiyakot seat, Motiharai seat, rains seat, baroli seat and Purnia seat, HT analysis.
HT analysis showed that among more and more villages out of 10 assembly seats, the ruling National Democratic alliance won seven in the 2020 assembly elections and the opposition Grand Alliance won three.
The ECI stated that about the 6.5 million names missing from the roll, there are 2.2 million in the deaths, people who were permanently transferred, which were 3.6 million accounts and people enrolled in many places were attributed to 700,000.
The ECI said that overall the electoral rolls shrunk from 78.9 million to 72.4 million.
“Each village, each ward, each in its effort to reach each House and each eligible in the electoral roll adds the name of the electoral, CEO of Bihar; DOOs of all 38 districts; Eros of all constitutions of all 243 assemblies, 2,976 Eros; full responsibility,” Poll body said in a statement.
The first phase of Sir ended on 26 July. The new draft electoral roll was published on Friday, which is also at the beginning of the month -long claims and the verification process. The final electoral rolls will be published for the assembly elections on 30 September, which was determined later this year.
The number of deletion probably represents the largest single potential removal of voters from the electoral rolls of any state in recent memory, a step defending the poll panel due to being required in the Supreme Court to maintain the sanctity of elections.
The practice began on 1 July.
During the head, people who have their own name in the 2003 voter role can only cite the removal of that. For others, there were three buckets (who were born before 1987, they could only give their identity proofs, people born between 1987 and 2004 had to provide their own proof plus documents of parents either, and people born after 2004 had to provide documents for both parents.
Opposition MPs have demonstrated against practice in Parliament, alleging that it is one affected by electoral democracy. But the ECI has dismissed these allegations. The Supreme Court has refused to continue the first practice, but asks the Commission to consider accepting the Aadhaar card and voter ID as assistant documents. The next hearing is on August 13, and the apex court warned against the collective exclusion, saying that it will step.
The ECI said that from 1 August to 1 September, there will be a time of claims and objections. “During this period, to add the name of any qualified electoral or to remove the name of any unqualified voter, any electoral or any political party, can file claims and objections before the concerned ERO,” the body said.
“All eligible voters are appealed to check their names in the draft list, and if their name is not present in the list, they should fill and submit Form 6 with the announcement form,” the body said.
The ECI said that the head draft copies were given to the representatives of all recognized political parties. Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar Vinod Singh Gunjial also held a meeting with representatives of political parties in Patna on Friday evening.
Rashtriya Janata Dal spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan, who attended the meeting on Friday, said it was very surprising that 6.5 million names were removed without any notice. “According to the norms and rules, the name of any electoral can be removed from the role only after giving notice. The ECI permanently remove such a large number of names on the pretext of shifting or deaths. It is not appropriate, we will get the rolls checked by our own people,” Gagan said.
BJP officials did not respond to the requests to seek comments on the case.
