News Brief
Election Commission Releases Draft Voter List For Bihar, Triggering Protests By Opposition
Bihar (Representative Map)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) handed over draft electoral rolls for all 243 Bihar assembly constituencies to political parties on Wednesday(30 July), NDTV reported.
The move immediately triggered protests from the Opposition.
According to the ECI, the rolls contain data from around 90,817 polling stations across the state. Copies were distributed through all 38 district collectors.
The draft voter list has also been made available to the public on the ECI website.
The rollout is part of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which the Commission described as routine and aimed at correcting discrepancies in the electoral database.
In response to the draft electoral rolls release, nine Opposition parties sent a joint letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an urgent special discussion in Parliament.
“We, the undersigned Members of Parliament representing various Opposition parties, wish to express our deep concern over the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar, especially a few months before the state assembly elections. This is unprecedented,” the letter reads.
The MPs further warned that the revision exercise, announced shortly before key elections, raises doubts about transparency and intent.
The signatories included Congress, DMK, SP, TMC, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, RSP, and others.
“While the government has stated its willingness to discuss all issues, including this one, no date has yet been fixed for such a discussion,” the MPs wrote.
They urged the Speaker to schedule a special discussion without delay, arguing that the exercise affects the fundamental right to vote and the integrity of elections.
In both the Houses, Opposition MPs renewed their demand for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision process.
In the Rajya Sabha, proceedings were disrupted shortly after they began.
Opposition members shouted slogans and submitted adjournment notices.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh told the House he had received 30 such notices requesting urgent debate on various matters—including the Bihar voter list revision, the treatment of Bengali migrant workers, US tariffs on Indian goods, and layoffs in the IT sector.
Opposition leaders alleged that the revision may be used to selectively delete names, particularly in districts with high numbers of disadvantaged or minority voters.
They expressed concern that such moves, under the guise of technical corrections, could distort electoral representation and suppress voter turnout.
