After Purge and Protest, Bihar's Electoral Roll Rebounds to 7.42 Crore

New Delhi: Bihar’s final electoral roll ahead of the upcoming elections lists 7.42 crore voters, a decline from the 7.89 crore recorded before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission. Officials describe the update as routine, but the reduction has drawn attention to the challenges faced by migrants, daily wage workers, and marginalised communities, whose mobility and living conditions make voter registration precarious.

The draft roll, published on 1 August, had already removed nearly 65 lakh names due to deaths, migration, and alleged duplication. After a month-long review of submitted documents and objections, the Election Commission removed an additional 3.66 lakh voters from the draft and added 21.53 lakh new entries. Analysts note that the final tally reflects bureaucratic verification rather than the realities of citizens who move frequently for work or study.

For many Biharis, relocating for employment, education, or seasonal work is a necessity. While administrative procedures like the SIR are designed to ensure accuracy, they risk excluding these groups from exercising their democratic rights. Although supplementary lists issued during polling may allow minor adjustments, experts warn that such processes can inadvertently limit political participation for vulnerable populations.

Opposition parties have expressed concern that the revision could disproportionately impact marginalised voters. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the process was conducted impartially and in accordance with legal provisions. For working-class families, migrants, and minority groups, voter registration is more than a statistic; it represents the protection of their political voice and their ability to influence governance.

Observers say the Bihar exercise underscores the need for electoral systems to account for social mobility and economic precarity. Without deliberate measures to include all citizens, the voices of those who sustain society through labour risk being marginalised in the democratic process.