What is the SIR of Electoral Rolls in Bihar?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The exercise, which began on June 25, 2025, involves a complete re-verification of the state’s voter list, covering nearly 8 crore voters, and will conclude with the publication of the revised rolls by September 30, 2025.

This article explains what electoral rolls are, why the SIR is being carried out, the arguments for and against it, and possible solutions to the challenges it raises.

What is an Electoral Roll?

The electoral roll is the official list of eligible voters prepared by the ECI under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RP Act).

Eligibility: Citizens aged 18 years or above who are “ordinarily resident” in a constituency.

Exclusions: Non-citizens and disqualified individuals.

Oversight: Chief Electoral Officers (States), District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, and Booth Level Officers manage the preparation and updating of rolls.

Special provisions also exist for armed forces personnel, government employees posted abroad, and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

Why a Special Intensive Revision?

Normally, the ECI carries out a summary revision before elections. However, Section 21 of the RP Act empowers it to conduct a special revision when needed.

The commission has cited:

Urbanisation and Migration: Large-scale changes in residency have led to duplication and inaccuracies.

Citizenship Verification: Ensuring that only citizens remain on the rolls.

Upcoming Bihar Elections: With polls due in November 2025, the last SIR in the state was held in 2003.

Unlike previous exercises where enumerators verified details door-to-door, this SIR requires every voter to submit an enumeration form. Those registered after January 2003 must also provide documents proving their date and place of birth, as well as that of their parents.

Pros and Cons of the SIR

Benefits

Cleans up duplicate and ineligible entries.

Strengthens trust in the electoral process.

Ensures compliance with constitutional provisions that only citizens can vote.

Concerns

Migrant Workers: A strict interpretation of “ordinary residence” may disenfranchise seasonal or long-term migrants who continue to vote in their home states.

Documentation Burden: Voters registered after 2003—roughly 3 crore people—must furnish additional proofs, which may be difficult for the poor and marginalised.

Citizenship Verification Role: Critics argue the ECI is not legally empowered to determine citizenship, a responsibility that lies with the Home Ministry.

Key Issue: Migrant Labourers

India’s Periodic Labour Force Survey (2020–21) estimates that around 15 crore voters are migrants. Many work in temporary conditions but retain strong ties to their home constituencies.

Removing them from original rolls risks mass disenfranchisement.

Few are willing or able to re-register in temporary locations.

Courts have held that “ordinary residence” should be interpreted broadly, not rigidly.

Citizenship Verification Challenges

Petitions in the Supreme Court argue that requiring voters (and in some cases their parents) to prove birth details amounts to a citizenship verification exercise, which the ECI is not authorised to conduct.

Given time and manpower constraints, verifying crores of documents could result in wrongful exclusions. Until now, enrolment has relied largely on Aadhaar and self-declaration.

The Way Forward

Safeguards Against Errors: Political party-appointed Booth Level Agents must closely monitor to prevent wrongful exclusions.

Flexibility on Documents: Aadhaar, ration cards, and voter IDs should be accepted when other proofs are unavailable. The Supreme Court has also urged the ECI to adopt a pragmatic approach.

Protecting Migrant Voters: Rather than deletion, reforms such as remote voting and Aadhaar-based de-duplication should be explored to balance inclusion with fraud prevention.

Longer Timelines: Given the scale, extending deadlines may be necessary to ensure fairness and accuracy.

Conclusion

The SIR in Bihar is a critical attempt to clean up the voter list and ensure electoral integrity. However, without sensitive implementation, it risks excluding millions of legitimate voters—particularly migrants and those unable to provide documents. Striking a balance between eliminating ineligible names and protecting citizens’ right to vote will be crucial for the credibility of the exercise and the democratic process.