New Delhi / Patna: A major political storm has erupted over the Election Commission's recent announcement of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Several opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, have strongly opposed the move, alleging it as a covert attempt to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien accused the Election Commission of acting under political pressure. He likened the revision drive to Nazi Germany’s issuance of "proof of racial ancestry" certificates in 1935, claiming that the voter list revision was a modern-day equivalent meant to marginalize select communities.
"This is a devious strategy to bring in NRC through the backdoor," said O’Brien. “INDIA bloc parties are united on this issue and will respond with coordinated action. We will not wait for the Parliament session to begin; this is too important.”
O’Brien also questioned the timing of the revision, pointing out that elections in Bihar are only a few months away, and West Bengal will go to polls early next year. He alleged that the BJP, facing a likely defeat, is desperate to manipulate the electoral process in both states.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Election Commission defended the move, stating that the Special Intensive Revision would be conducted with the participation of all political parties, and aimed only to verify the eligibility of voters. “India’s Constitution is supreme, and all citizens, parties, and institutions must uphold it,” the EC asserted.
PM Modi behind conspiracy: Tejashwi Yadav
RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of orchestrating a conspiracy to disenfranchise voters in Bihar.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Yadav alleged that the Prime Minister had directed the Election Commission to cancel the entire existing voter list and prepare a new one within 25 days, using only paper-based documents dated before 1987.
“This is a deliberate attempt to remove names from the list under the guise of ‘intensive revision’. They want to deny people their right to vote and block access to essential welfare schemes like ration, pensions, reservations, and scholarships,” said Yadav.
He further stated that the issue was discussed in detail with leaders of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), of which RJD is a part.
In the upcoming Bihar elections, the BJP, led by Modi, is expected to contest in alliance with Nitish Kumar's JD(U). The INDIA bloc, including Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, is preparing to mount a stiff challenge.
Background on Voter Data
According to reports, out of Bihar’s total 7,89,69,844 registered voters, around 4.96 crore names were listed in the revised electoral roll published on January 1, 2003. These individuals are only required to submit a basic verification form under the new revision process and are not obligated to provide additional documentation.