Context
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the successful completion of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, marking a significant milestone in India’s ongoing effort to cleanse voter lists and ensure electoral integrity. The exercise, conducted after a gap of 22 years, is set to serve as a model for nationwide voter roll purification.
Key Highlights
- Completion of Special Intensive Revision (SIR):
The ECI confirmed that the Bihar voter rolls have been “purified”, following the deletion of ineligible entries, including deceased individuals, foreign nationals, and permanently relocated voters. - Final Figures:
The revised electoral roll now includes 7.42 crore eligible voters across Bihar. - Transparency Measures:
District Collectors shared details of 3.66 lakh deletions with the district presidents of recognized political parties to ensure transparency and accountability in the process. - Aadhaar Clarification:
The Commission reaffirmed that Aadhaar may be used as a supporting document for voter identification, but it is not proof of citizenship—in line with Supreme Court directives. - Nationwide Rollout Planned:
Encouraged by Bihar’s success, the ECI intends to extend the SIR model across all States and Union Territories, standardizing voter roll accuracy nationwide.
Significance
- Comprehensive Data Cleansing:
The SIR involved door-to-door verification, cross-checking with death registries, and field-level scrutiny by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to eliminate duplication and errors. - Judicial Backing:
The Supreme Court authorized the use of Aadhaar for voter verification, reiterating that while Aadhaar can aid identification, citizenship verification remains a separate constitutional process. - Administrative Reforms:
The ECI has introduced a series of measures to enhance transparency, voter convenience, and poll-day efficiency:- Webcasting from all polling booths for real-time monitoring.
- Capping voter strength at 1,200 per booth to reduce overcrowding.
- Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from political parties stationed near polling sites to oversee proceedings.
- Mobile phone holding areas outside booths to maintain polling sanctity.
- Financial Oversight:
The ECI will deploy revenue service officers to monitor and audit candidates’ expenditure, ensuring compliance with the Model Code of Conduct and financial transparency. - Electoral Technology Reforms:
In upcoming elections, postal ballots will be fully counted before the second round of EVM votes, improving procedural efficiency and reducing result disputes.
Institutional and Constitutional Significance
- The initiative reflects the ECI’s commitment to Article 324 of the Constitution, which mandates free and fair elections.
- By emphasizing data integrity, transparency, and modern verification mechanisms, the SIR aligns with the Right to Vote as a statutory right under the Representation of the People Act (1951).
- The exercise also underscores the ECI’s shift toward evidence-based electoral governance, incorporating technology, public scrutiny, and legal oversight.