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The Election Commission said after the meeting that the special intensive revision (SIR) is being done following proper provisions, and all concerns of the parties were addressed
The opposition leaders expressed apprehensions that the exercise was not genuinely aimed at purifying the rolls but rather at selectively removing or adding voters, thereby manipulating the electorate. File pic/PTI
A delegation comprising representatives from 11 opposition parties collectively met the Election Commission on Wednesday to lodge a strong objection against the ongoing intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. This significant meeting took place just months ahead of the state’s upcoming assembly elections.
The delegation, in a pointed critique, dubbed the entire review exercise as “Votebandi,” a term evoking parallels with demonetisation (“Notebandi”) and implying a deliberate disenfranchisement of voters. They firmly asserted that this revision process, as currently conducted, poses a direct threat to democracy in Bihar.
Led by prominent figures from various political spectrums, the delegation presented a detailed memorandum to the Election Commission. They argued that the timing and methodology of the intensive revision were suspicious, contending that such an exhaustive process should not be undertaken so close to a major election.
The delegation, which included leaders from the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Samajwadi Party, reached the office of the Election Commission in New Delhi only to be told that just two members from each party would be allowed in.
“Such restrictions mean that necessary dialogue between political parties and the EC can’t happen… Today, only two people per party were allowed, which left leaders like Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Akhilesh Singh standing outside,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
The opposition leaders expressed apprehensions that the exercise was not genuinely aimed at purifying the rolls but rather at selectively removing or adding voters, thereby manipulating the electorate. Their primary fear is that this could lead to a significant number of eligible voters, particularly those from marginalised communities or specific political leanings, being unfairly struck off the list, or conversely, ineligible names being added.
“After meeting the Election Commission, our concerns have increased further because the Commission did not give a satisfactory reply to any of our questions,” CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, who went on to call the process “votebandi”, said.
The opposition leaders underscored that a fair election hinges on accurate and inclusive electoral rolls, and any perceived irregularities in the revision process would inevitably cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the upcoming assembly polls. They urged the Election Commission to immediately halt the intensive revision and instead opt for a standard, more transparent, and less disruptive update process that does not compromise the democratic integrity of the state.
The Election Commission said in a statement after the meeting that the special intensive revision (SIR) is being done following the proper provisions, and all concerns brought up by the leaders of the parties were addressed.
“The SIR is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 326, Representation of the People Act 1950 and instructions issued on 24.06.2025. The party representatives raised various concerns related to SIR. Each concern which was raised by any member of the political party was fully addressed by the Commission,” said the ECI.
(With agency inputs)
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via …Read More
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via … Read More
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