Have 127 Claims and Objections Been Resolved by the ECI in Bihar?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 127 claims and objections resolved by ECI in Bihar.
- 54,432 new electors have applied to join the voter list.
- No political parties have filed complaints so far.
- The draft electoral rolls were published on August 1.
- Ongoing scrutiny and engagement with political parties are essential for transparency.
New Delhi, Aug 11 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India (ECI) reported that officials have resolved 127 claims and objections from a total of 10,570 submissions made by electors regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar up to this point.
Despite the draft electoral rolls being published 11 days ago, the ECI noted that no political parties have lodged any complaints.
This announcement came on a day when leaders from opposition parties, including Congress figures Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained in Delhi during protests against what they claim are manipulated voter lists in various states. The ECI indicated that since August 1, 54,432 new voters, who have turned 18 after the SIR initiative, have submitted applications for inclusion in the voter list.
Opposition parties have criticized the SIR process in Bihar, alleging that it could disenfranchise millions of voters—a claim the ECI has firmly rejected.
The ECI released its draft electoral rolls on August 1 and has allocated a month for individuals, political parties, and their booth-level agents (BLAs) to voice any concerns regarding the draft list.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has 47,506 BLAs, with the Congress having 17,549, and the Left Party over 2,000, resulting in a total exceeding 67,000.
The ECI has actively engaged with political parties to participate in the revision process and highlight instances of disenfranchisement.
“We urge you to submit your claims and objections to correct any inaccuracies in the draft Electoral Roll of Bihar published on August 1. To date, no political party has submitted any claim or objection,” the ECI stated.
The enumeration phase of the SIR was conducted from June 24 to July 25, during which more than 7.24 crore electors out of a total of 7.89 crore submitted their forms.
Ultimately, about 65 lakh voters were identified as missing from the draft electoral rolls published on August 1. This figure included 22 lakh deceased voters (2.83 percent), 36 lakh who had moved away or could not be located (4.59 percent), and seven lakh who had registered in multiple locations, according to ECI data.
The ECI reaffirmed on Monday its commitment to ensuring the participation of all electors and political parties; they aim to guarantee that no eligible elector in Bihar is overlooked, including young voters and temporary migrants. The process involves continuous engagement with all stakeholders, assistance from election staff and volunteers, resolution of issues raised during enumeration, and scrutiny of the Draft Roll from August 1 to September 1, with no deletions made without proper documentation.
Additionally, the ECI noted significant increases in BLAs among various parties between June 23 and July 25: the Congress has grown its BLAs to 17,549 (an increase of 105 percent), the Rashtriya Janata Dal to 47,506 (an increase of 1 percent), the Janata Dal (United) to 36,550 (an increase of 31 percent), and the BJP to 53,338 (an increase of 3 percent).