(Reported By Prashant Dev)
Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, a meticulous vetting of electoral rolls is on in full swing. Notwithstanding rising tensions between political parties and the Election Commission, the latter has firmly reiterated that it was following due process as per June 24, 2025, guidelines.
Confusion Among Voters
The ongoing tussle has confused the voters over the documents required to ensure their names in the voters’ list. A key question here is: Will the names be removed if documents aren’t provided? This uncertainty is fueling concerns not only among the people but also among political leaders, amplifying the ongoing debate.
Clarification By The Election Commission
To become a registered voter, individuals must complete the voter enumeration form and submit required documents by July 25, 2025. All completed forms will be included in the draft voter list, set for release on August 1, 2025, even if documents are not provided initially. If available, the documents can be submitted now, or else they can be done later.
Eligibility to become a voter under this campaign is being carried out under Article 326 of the Constitution.
To become a registered voter, submitting at least one of the 11 approved documents is mandatory. After September 1, individuals wishing to add their name to the voter list without the required documents can have their case reviewed by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), typically the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The ERO holds sole authority to add or remove names based on their inquiry and must issue a formal order for each case. In case of voters not submitting documents, EROs will take a call on each individual case.
The ERO’s decision, if unacceptable, can be challenged through an appeal to the District Magistrate (DM). and further on to the Chief Election Officer, if need be.
According to the Election Commission, forms have been distributed to 7.69 crore voters out of the total 7.90 crore voters, which is over 97 per cent of all voters.
