States » EastPosted at: Jun 25 2025 11:05PM


Bihar opposition rejects voter list revision, warns of mass disenfranchisement

Patna, June 25 (UNI) At a meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer in Patna today, the RJD, CPI(ML) and other opposition parties of the INDIA bloc rejected the Election Commission of India’s initiative to undertake a ‘Special Intensive Revision’ of the Bihar voter list, urging its cancellation within the state.

turning down the proposal, the INDIA Alliance alleged that the Bihar voter list revision is effectively the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and threatens to remove millions from the electoral rolls, particularly those from disadvantaged groups.

The Opposition representatives criticised the Election Commission’s stringent new guidelines demanding proof of at least one parent’s Indian citizenship for those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, and proof of both parents' citizenship for those born after 2 July 2004, all within a one-month timeframe.

With the state Assembly elections just three months away, representatives from the INDIA bloc questioned the purpose of this special activity.

CPI (ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya voiced strong apprehension regarding the Election Commission of India’s initiation of the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s voter rolls, characterising it as a process mirroring the NRC.

This initiative, he claimed, brought back memories of Assam’s NRC. He said in a state like Bihar, such an undertaking was not only administratively challenging but would also lead to the widespread exclusion of ordinary citizens, particularly those from marginalised communities including the poor, Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims.

The Left leader urged the Election Commission to prevent Bihar from becoming a testing ground for these policies. He insisted that elections must be conducted fairly, inclusively, and democratically, not by frightening people with accusations of suspicion and dual citizenship checks.

RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan argued at the meeting that a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s voter rolls is impractical so close to the state assembly elections. The process demands documents that many of the state’s millions of families simply don’t possess.

Gagan accused the government of a deliberate plot to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of poor Bihar residents. He questioned the timing of a special electoral roll revision, asking why it’s necessary now, just before the state assembly elections, especially given the lack of such revisions since 2003.

The Chief Electoral Officer stated he would inform the Election Commission of India about the meeting’s outcome. UNI XC SSP
Tags: #Bihar opposition rejects voter list revision# warns of mass disenfranchisement
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