Bihar's Electoral Roll Sees Significant Expansion
The Election Commission of India has officially responded to concerns raised by the Congress party regarding an increase of approximately 3 lakh voters in Bihar's electoral rolls. This clarification comes after the political party highlighted discrepancies in voter numbers across different EC announcements.
Officials from the election body confirmed that the voter count increased from 7.42 crore to 7.45 crore following the final revision of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. This addition of 300,000 voters occurred between the initial announcement and subsequent releases related to the Bihar assembly polls.
Congress Raises Questions on Social Media
The controversy began when the Congress party brought attention to the changing voter statistics through a social media post. The party pointed out that while the Election Commission's statement announcing the schedule for the Bihar assembly elections had initially put the number of voters at 7.42 crore, later communications showed the number had climbed to 7.45 crore.
This observation sparked discussions about the timing and reasons behind the sudden increase in registered voters. The Congress sought clarification on whether proper procedures were followed in updating the electoral rolls and whether the additional voters met all eligibility criteria.
Election Commission's Official Response
EC officials explained that the variation in numbers resulted from the completion of the SIR process. The Special Summary Revision is a standard procedure conducted before elections to ensure the electoral roll is comprehensive and up-to-date.
The final SIR list incorporated legitimate additions that were processed during the revision period, leading to the increased voter count. Election Commission representatives emphasized that all due processes were followed and that the additional registrations underwent proper verification.
The officials maintained that such revisions are routine in the lead-up to elections and help maintain the integrity of the electoral process by including eligible voters who might have been missed in previous counts.
Impact on Bihar Assembly Elections 2025
With the assembly elections scheduled in Bihar, the updated voter list of 7.45 crore electors will play a crucial role in determining the political landscape. The addition of 3 lakh voters could potentially influence outcomes in closely contested constituencies.
Political analysts suggest that even marginal changes in voter demographics can have significant effects on election results, especially in constituencies where winning margins are typically narrow. The Election Commission has assured all political parties that the revision process was transparent and followed established protocols.
The final voter count of 7.45 crore now stands as the official number for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, with the Election Commission confirming that no further revisions are planned before the polling dates.
