Election Commission of India’s (ECI’s) June 24 order to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar is outrageous. The exercise’s timing – to be completed in a period of one month, that too four months ahead of elections for the state assembly – has raised serious doubts about ECI’s neutral functioning. Furthermore, the order for completing the near-impossible task of covering eight crore voters was implemented a day after the order was issued.
The order says that those not included in the 2003 electoral roll would have to provide documentary proof which, inter alia, includes that they and their parents are citizens of India. Those unable to submit such evidence and other documents listed by the ECI could be referred to the Citizens’ Tribunal as suspected foreign nationals.
In the face of public outcry and against the exercise, the ECI is sending conflicting messages. The Electoral Officer of Bihar in a newspaper ad appealed that eligible voters should fill up the forms distributed to them and submit the required documents later. In contrast, CEC Gyanesh Kumar on June 6 said that SIR was being conducted without any change in instructions. Such contradictory signals seem suspicious, especially when the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear several petitions against the SIR on July 10.
by S N Sahu
09/07/2025