EC Drops 65 Lakh Names from Bihar Voter List, Patna Sees Maximum Exclusions

EC Removes Over 65 Lakh Voter Names in Special Revision

The Election Commission of India removed over 65 lakh names from Bihar’s draft electoral roll after conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that ended on July 25, 2025. This revision aimed to clean and update the list ahead of the state assembly elections. Officials received 7.24 crore Form 1s from voters, covering about 91.7% of Bihar’s estimated 7.9 crore eligible population.

Deaths, Migration, and Duplicates Prompt Deletions

The EC identified and deleted around 22.34 lakh names of deceased voters. It also removed 36 lakh entries belonging to people who had either migrated or could not be located during field visits. Nearly 7 lakh entries were duplicates. Booth-level officers carried out door-to-door verification to spot these inaccuracies and update the database.

Patna Tops the List of Deletions

Patna saw the highest number of deletions, with nearly 3.95 lakh names removed. Madhubani followed with 3.52 lakh, East Champaran with 3.16 lakh, and Gopalganj with 3.10 lakh deletions. Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Purnia, Saran, Sitamarhi, Katihar, and Kishanganj also reported between 1.4 to 2.8 lakh deletions each. These districts typically experience high migration or face record mismatches, which contributed to the removals.

Opposition Slams EC for Excluding Voters

Opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress, and CPI(ML), strongly criticized the EC’s deletion drive. They accused the Commission of excluding valid voters without proper notice. Party leaders alleged that the process targeted marginalized communities, especially migrant workers and poor families who lacked the required documents.

EC Opens Claims Period, Defends Process

The Election Commission defended the revision, saying it acted on verified field data and valid evidence. To ensure fairness, it opened a claims and objections window from August 1 to September 1. Voters whose names were deleted can reapply by submitting Aadhaar, Voter ID, or ration card. The EC urged people to check their status online through the National Voters’ Service Portal (NVSP) or to visit their local Booth Level Officers.

Final Roll to Be Published by September 30

The EC will release the final electoral roll-on September 30, 2025. This updated list will decide voter eligibility for the upcoming elections. Officials encouraged every citizen to review the draft list and raise objections if needed. The EC assured that all genuine voters will get a chance to restore their names.