Explained: What Is SIR And How The Election Commission Plans To Revise India’s Voter Lists

By The Eastern Times Editorial Desk
Published: October 29, 2025

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has completed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls — a large-scale verification drive that aimed to clean, update, and modernize the voter list. The process, which began earlier this year, has now ended with the final electoral rolls published on October 28, 2025.

As per official data, the total number of registered voters in Bihar now stands at 7.42 crore, down from over 7.68 crore earlier. Around 47 lakh names were deleted, while 21 lakh new voters were added. The ECI describes this as a move to ensure “accuracy, inclusion, and transparency.” But the exercise has also sparked debates, legal scrutiny, and political controversy.

What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

The Special Intensive Revision is not a routine voter list update. It is a deep, house-to-house verification carried out by the Election Commission to ensure the voter rolls are accurate and error-free.

In Bihar’s case, over 8 crore voters were verified through field visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). Every household was checked, and voters were asked to confirm their details or submit proof of eligibility.

The ECI said the SIR was meant to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible name stays on the list.

Legal and Constitutional Backing

The SIR draws authority from Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives the ECI control over elections, and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which allows “special revision” of electoral rolls.

However, the term “Special Intensive Revision” does not directly appear in the law or rules. This gap has led to some confusion — and even legal challenges — about its exact procedure and scope.

Why Bihar’s SIR Became Controversial

While the ECI calls the SIR a necessary cleanup, critics and civil society groups argue that it may have gone too far.

Document burden: Voters registered after January 2003 were required to provide extra documents — such as proof of birth, parentage, and residence. Activists warned this could disenfranchise poor, migrant, or uneducated voters who may lack such papers.
Scale of deletions: Nearly 47 lakh names were removed — a significant number that raised alarm among opposition parties, who alleged the process might have been “selective” or “politically motivated.”
Legal challenge: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking greater transparency, and the Court directed the ECI to publish details of all deleted names.
Timing concerns: Conducting such a massive revision months before the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections led to concerns about confusion and incomplete corrections before polls.

What the Numbers Show

After the SIR, Bihar’s voter list stands at:

Total electors: 7.42 crore
Deletions: 47 lakh (due to duplication, deaths, migration, or ineligibility)
New additions: 21 lakh (mostly young voters turning 18, and those previously left out)

Districts like Jaipur and Patna also saw new polling stations created to manage updated voter distribution.

The Election Commission’s Stand

The ECI defends the SIR as essential for “electoral purity.” Officials argue that removing duplicates and verifying identities ensures “one person, one vote” — a cornerstone of democracy.

The Commission also highlights that new digital tools, such as online verification portals and SMS alerts, were used for the first time to make the process transparent.

The Concerns and Criticism

However, several experts and watchdogs caution that cleaning up voter lists must not lead to exclusion.

Many voters, especially migrants and daily wage earners, may have been away during verification drives.
The requirement for old documentation could have left out those without birth certificates or parental details.
Some argue the process resembles a citizenship check, not a voter roll correction, which is beyond the ECI’s mandate.

Opposition parties have demanded that Parliament review the SIR process to prevent genuine voters from being unfairly dropped.

🧠 Explained: Why It Matters

At its core, the SIR reflects a balancing act between inclusion and accuracy. On one hand, India’s electoral rolls are known to contain errors — dead voters, duplicate entries, or fake registrations. On the other, aggressive verification can unintentionally silence real voices, especially among the poor and marginalised.

In a state like Bihar, with high migration and low documentation levels, this balance is particularly delicate.

🗳️ Editorial View: The Eastern Times Analysis

The Election Commission’s goal of an accurate voter roll is both legitimate and necessary. However, method and timing matter. When verification becomes too document-heavy or rushed before an election, it risks turning a democratic exercise into an exclusionary one.

The Special Intensive Revision should be made more transparent, with:

Public access to deleted and added names.
Simplified documentation rules for vulnerable groups.
Independent audit of the process before elections.

If implemented with care, SIR can strengthen India’s electoral credibility. If done hastily, it can weaken trust in the very system it aims to protect.

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