All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly criticised the Election Commission’s plan to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls within a month, warning that such a rushed exercise could lead to the disenfranchisement of crores of voters ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled later this year.
In a pointed critique, Owaisi questioned the practical viability of revising the voter list for approximately eight crore voters in such a constrained timeline. “You want this whole process to be done in one month. How is it possible? What is the rationale for that?” he asked, adding that the scale and complexity of the update cannot be realistically handled by booth-level officers in the given time.
Fears of missing voter names and lack of due process
Highlighting the risks of excluding vast sections of the electorate, Owaisi warned that “not just thousands, but lakhs, maybe names of crores of people… will be missing from the voter list and they will be disenfranchised.” He further reminded that a voter enrolled in the electoral list cannot be removed without due notice and legal procedure, referencing the Lal Babu Hussein case verdict by the Supreme Court.
Migration, floods pose additional barriers
Owaisi also highlighted the unique demographic and geographical challenges in Bihar. He noted that large-scale migration due to economic conditions and seasonal flooding—especially in the Seemanchal region—would make it difficult for Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to reach voters multiple times during the short revision window. “The majority of the youth have migrated to other states. Flooding cuts off many areas. How many times can the BLA visit a house? Once? Twice? Thrice? It is humanly impossible,” he asserted.
Opposition parties echo concerns
The SIR, officially notified on June 24, has also drawn criticism from leaders of the INDIA bloc. Representatives from 11 political parties, including the Congress, RJD, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, NCP-SP and the Samajwadi Party, have objected to the timing and execution of the voter list scrutiny.
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi voiced concern that at least two crore people—mostly from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, migrants and economically weaker sections—could be left out of the rolls due to the difficulty in producing required documents like birth certificates on short notice.
Previous revision cited as better model
Recalling the 2003 Intensive Revision in Bihar, Owaisi pointed out that it was conducted well ahead of the 2004 general elections and the 2005 state polls, offering ample time for corrections and inclusion of eligible voters.
Despite political objections, over 1.54 lakh Booth Level Agents have been appointed by recognised parties to assist with the ongoing process, with the Election Commission allowing further appointments as needed.