The electoral commission of India's Bihar state has finished a rapid, sweeping revision of its voter rolls. Bihar is the poorest state in India where only 2 percent of people hold passports and a third of births go unregistered.

Bihar

In Bihar, India, a sudden voter roll revision announced by the Election Commission has caused widespread concern about potential disenfranchisement. The Special Intensive Revision, which requires citizenship document checks for 80 million voters, is being conducted unusually close to the upcoming state elections. Voter groups and experts argue that the short timeframe makes it difficult for many, especially marginalized communities lacking documentation, to ensure their names remain on the rolls. 

The process has led to anxiety and confusion among residents, with fears that names could be removed and citizenship rights lost. Critics highlight that this is the first time Indian voters are being asked to prove citizenship, a shift from previous practices. The Election Commission maintains that the revision is a constitutional measure and plans similar exercises nationwide.

Bihar's rushed voter roll revision sparks disenfranchisement fears

People across the eastern Indian state of Bihar have been on edge since June 24, when the Election Commission of India announced a sudden voter mist revision, putting millions at risk of exclusion. The drive called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is a legal exercise, but rarely carried out so close to elections, with Bihar's state polls due end of the year. Voters groups doubt that a fair revision of 80 million voters with citizenship document checks can be done within a month. The Election Commission of India should have given at least six months or a year, then this work could have been done. There's a lot of confusion among people. They're scared and anxious that their names might be struck off, that they can lose their citizenship. That's why it's so important to oppose this. Bihar is the poorest state in India, also has the highest rate of internal migration. With limited time, many are struggling to enroll. The hardest hit are marginalized communities who lack documents. I'm afraid because I don't have a birth certificate. I couldn't submit it, so they might remove my name. It will affect my life. My two sons won't have job opportunities. Even if they get an education, they can't get jobs if their names aren't on the list. That will impact our livelihood. Election experts say that until now, Indian voters have never had to prove their citizenship. The independents give every single Indian that right to vote. For the first time, we have a complete U-turn. We have a policy where the Election Commission, whose job it is to include, is now on a mission of exclusion. That is very big anxiety, especially among minority groups, especially among Muslims, who suspect, with good reasons, that the exercise would not be carried out in a non-discriminatory manner. The Election Commission of India defends the move as a constitutional clean-up, with similar voter list revision expected across the country.

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