50 Lakh Names Deleted: Bihar Loses 6% of Voters Post-SIR Amid Opposition’s ‘Vote Chori’ Allegations

New Delhi, Sept 30: Nearly 50 lakh names have been removed from Bihar’s electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, leading to sharp criticism from opposition parties who allege large-scale voter fraud.

According to the latest data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, the number of eligible voters in Bihar now stands at 7.42 crore, down from 7.89 crore, marking a reduction of about 6 percent.

The SIR exercise began on 24 June in Bihar — the first state to undergo the revision as it heads for assembly elections in November. The initial draft rolls, published on 1 August, showed 65 lakh deletions. Most of these names, the ECI claimed, belonged to individuals who were deceased, had permanently relocated, were registered in more than one constituency, or were simply untraceable.

Following public scrutiny and further review, an additional 3.66 lakh names were removed, while 21.53 lakh new voters were added, bringing the final voter count to 7.42 crore.

The large-scale deletions have triggered outrage among opposition parties, particularly the Congress and members of the INDIA bloc. They have accused the ECI and ruling party of engaging in “vote chori” (vote theft) and held statewide protests demanding a rollback and a more transparent revision process.

In its official statement, the ECI defended the move, saying,

“The SIR was conducted in line with Article 326 of the Constitution and the Commission’s commitment to ensure that no eligible voter is left out and no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls.”

The commission also clarified that eligible voters who have been mistakenly excluded can still apply for inclusion up to ten days before the nomination deadline for candidates in the upcoming election.

Those whose names have been wrongly removed can file a first appeal with the district magistrate and a second appeal with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

With elections approaching, the issue of voter deletion is likely to remain a key flashpoint. While the Opposition continues to allege that the deletions disproportionately affected minority and poor voters, the BJP has pushed back, accusing rival parties of enabling ineligible individuals and “infiltrators” to remain on the rolls.

As Bihar gears up for polls, voter roll integrity and transparency in the revision process are expected to dominate political debate.