Bihar Elections: Opposition’s Concerns on Voter List Unaddressed as EC Receives No Objections

The Bihar assembly elections are drawing near, and the opposition’s focus is on the Systematic Inspection of Electoral Rolls (SIR). The opposition parties have voiced several criticisms of the process, with the Congress alleging vote manipulation. The Election Commission has responded to these claims by stating that it has yet to receive a single objection from any opposition party. The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the final Bihar voter list accurately reflects the eligible electorate, preventing both omissions and inclusions of ineligible voters. The draft voter list, published on August 1, offered an opportunity for claims and objections to correct any errors. However, no political party has submitted any claims or objections within the allotted nine-day period. The controversy surrounding the voter list revision (SIR) in Bihar caused significant disruptions in Parliament, with opposition protests hampering the monsoon session. The opposition has accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to manipulate votes through SIR, including removing names from the list. The Election Commission released the draft voter list on August 1 and urged political parties and citizens to correct any omissions by providing supporting documentation. Despite this appeal, no political party has formally lodged any objections. Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition, previously vowed to combat vote manipulation in Bihar but has not filed any appeals or objections.