Did the ECI Just Upload the 2003 Electoral Roll for Bihar?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 2003 Electoral Roll uploaded for Bihar voters.
- Approximately 4.96 crore electors included.
- 60% of voters can verify details without extra documentation.
- Accessible via the ECI website.
- Mandatory revisions per Representation of People Act.
New Delhi, June 30 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made the 2003 Electoral Roll of Bihar available on its official website, detailing the information of 4.96 crore electors. This action is part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an official announced on Monday.
The official emphasized that approximately 60 percent of the electorate in Bihar will not need to provide additional documents. These voters can verify their information directly from the 2003 Electoral Rolls and fill out the Enumeration Form.
Both electors and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will have easy access to these details, the official added.
By uploading the 2003 Electoral Roll on the ECI website – https://voters.eci.gov.in – the commission aims to significantly aid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar, the statement noted.
Referring to ECI guidelines from June 24, the official stated that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), District Electoral Officer (DEO), and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) are to provide the Electoral Rolls with a qualifying date of January 1, 2003, in both hard copy and online formats for BLOs to download. This will serve as documentary evidence for submitting the Enumeration Form.
Additionally, the ECI clarified that individuals whose names are not present in the 2003 Bihar Electoral Roll can still utilize the extract from the 2003 Electoral Roll instead of presenting other documents for their parents.
In such scenarios, no other documentation for the mother or father is necessary. Only the relevant extract from the 2003 Electoral Roll will suffice. These electors would need to provide documentation solely for themselves when submitting the filled Enumeration Form.
The ECI reiterated that updating the Electoral Roll before each election is mandated by section 21(2)(a) of the Representation of People Act 1950 and Rule 25 of the Registration of Elector Rules 1960.
For the past 75 years, the ECI has been conducting annual revisions, including both intensive and summary updates.
This process is necessary because the Electoral Roll is constantly evolving due to factors such as deaths, relocations due to migration for work or education, and the inclusion of new voters who have recently turned 18.
The statement also highlighted that Article 326 of the Constitution defines the eligibility criteria for becoming an elector. Only Indian citizens aged 18 and above, who are ordinary residents in the relevant constituency, can be registered as electors.