Bihar Voter List Audit Uncovers Massive Irregularities: 18 Lakh Deceased Voters, 7 Lakh Duplicates

New Delhi Chronicle | July 22, 2025

NEW DELHI – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reported significant discrepancies in Bihar’s electoral rolls following its ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. According to data shared by the Commission, the revision exercise has so far identified approximately 18 lakh deceased voters, 26 lakh voters who have shifted to other constituencies, and 7 lakh cases of duplicate registrations.

The findings were submitted by the ECI in an affidavit to the Supreme Court, in response to a plea challenging the Commission’s June 24 directive initiating a nationwide revision of electoral rolls—beginning with Bihar, which is headed to the polls later this year.

EC Defends the Cleanup Drive

In its submission, the poll panel defended the SIR initiative as a necessary step to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the electoral rolls. The ECI stated that its mandate includes removing ineligible names to uphold free and fair elections under Article 326 of the Constitution, in conjunction with provisions under the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951.

“The exercise is aimed at improving the health of the electoral database by removing ineligible individuals, including those who are deceased or registered more than once,” the affidavit read.

The ECI further clarified that the legal right to vote is based on criteria such as citizenship, age, and place of residence, and that individuals not meeting these conditions cannot claim a fundamental right under Articles 19 or 21 to remain on the voter list.

Role of Aadhaar and Other Documents

Addressing privacy and identification concerns raised during the proceedings, the Commission emphasized that identity documents like Aadhaar, voter ID cards, and ration cards are being used only in a limited capacity for verification purposes during the revision.

The ECI’s affidavit explained that voters can voluntarily provide their Aadhaar number on the enumeration form as part of identity verification, in line with Section 23(4) of the RP Act, 1950 and Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

Supreme Court Intervention

Earlier this month, on July 10, the Supreme Court directed the ECI to treat Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as valid identity documents during the revision process. The Court emphasized the voluntary nature of Aadhaar submission and the importance of legal safeguards around personal data.

The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 28, where the court is expected to further deliberate on the scope and legality of the SIR process, particularly in relation to individual rights and data protection.