After Supreme Court direction, EC publishes list of names deleted from Bihar voter list along with reason for deletion
This comes after the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions against the SIR, had directed the Election Commission to publish the details of those whose names were deleted from the draft rolls and the reasons for the deletion.
Booth Level Officers collect and upload enumeration forms during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar's Vaishali district during the first phase. (X/BiharCEO/File)
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Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Sunday published details of 65 lakh names deleted from the draft electoral rolls in the first phase of the special intensive revision (SIR).
This comes after the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions against the SIR, had directed the Election Commission to publish the details of those whose names were deleted from the draft rolls and the reasons for the deletion.
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Bihar CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said in a statement, “In light of the interim order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 14.08.2025…, it is hereby notified that the list of such electors whose names were included in the Electoral Roll of the year 2025 (before the draft publication) but are not included in the draft roll published on 01.08.2025, along with reasons (Deceased/Permanently Shifted/Absent/Repeated Entry), has been published on the websites of the Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar, and all District Election Officers of the State of Bihar.”
Names can be searched on the Bihar CEO’s website using electors’ photo identity card (EPIC) numbers. Booth-wise lists can also be downloaded. The list has details such as name, EPIC number, father’s name and reason for deletion.
The Opposition welcomed the move. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “The decision came on the day INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and others have embarked on a yatra to travel through 22 Bihar districts to make voters aware of their voting rights. We can now analyse data and take up cases of voters whose names are wrongly deleted.”
Opposition parties and other activists have raised concerns over potential wrongful deletions during the SIR process. They have claimed that several people declared dead during the process, and have had their names deleted, are in fact alive.
Out of 7.89 crore voters in Bihar, 7.24 crore were enrolled in the first draft. Out of the 65 lakh names deleted from the list, 36 lakh were shown to have permanently moved elsewhere, and 22 lakh were said to be dead.
Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
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