Bihar Draft Electoral Roll Faces No Party Objections So Far: Election Commission

The Election Commission noted that 6,257 claims have been received so far, but all are from individual voters, not from political parties in Bihar.

Darbhanga voters (Credit: File Photo/IANS)

Bihar Elections 2025: Bihar is preparing for Assembly elections later this year, but there is already political disagreement over the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Amid the controversy, the Election Commission of India (ECI) clarified on Friday that no political party has submitted any claim or objection to the draft rolls.

The commission noted that 6,257 claims have been received so far, but all are from individual voters, not from political parties. 

As per news agency IANS, after the conclusion of the Enumeration Phase under the SIR 2025, the poll body had asked to submit “claims and objections" to rectify any errors in the draft electoral roll, which was published on August 1. 

Furthermore, the ECI also stated in a press note that under the 'claims and objections for inclusion and exclusion received regarding the Draft Roll', a total of 6,257 complaints have been received directly from the electors.

It added that the forms received from 'New electors on attaining 18 years of age or above' were 36,060 so far, and none have been disposed of.

What Happens to 'Claims and Objections'?

The ECI elaborated that, according to the new rules, the claims and objections by electors are to be disposed of by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) after seven days.

The Commission has also clarified that, as per SIR orders, no name can be deleted from the draft list published on August 1, 2025, without passing a speaking order by the ERO/AERO after conducting an enquiry and after giving a fair and reasonable opportunity.

BIHAR SIR 2025: DAILY BULLETIN

1st Aug (3 PM) till 8th Aug (9 AM)

Read in detail: https://t.co/WByfRoc2AO pic.twitter.com/fHCqaV5TGX

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) August 8, 2025

Number of BLAs Per Party in Bihar

According to the poll commission, a total of 1,60,813 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of six national parties and six state-level parties were involved in the exercise. These include the BJP's 53,338, Congress's 17,549, the RJD's 47,506, and Janata Dal (United)'s 36,550.

According to IANS, on July 21-22, lists of Absent, Dead, and Shifted (ADS) voters were provided to BLAs of all recognised political parties in the state. On August 1, with the publication of the draft electoral rolls, booth-wise and constituency-wise lists of unpublished voters were also handed over to political representatives.

Notably, the ECI has said that no eligible elector will be left out and no ineligible elector will be included in the final electoral roll of Bihar.