EC relaxes voter document rules in Bihar amid electoral roll revision, opposition criticism

New Delhi, Jul 6: The Election Commission has eased documentation rules for voters in Bihar amid its ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls, days after opposition parties criticised the exercise as "votebandi." In an advertisement published in Hindi newspapers, the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer stated that voters can now submit filled enumeration forms without attaching the required documents, which may be provided later. The move is intended to facilitate wider participation in the ongoing revision, ahead of the state assembly elections.

The Election Commission clarified that the absence of documents would not automatically disqualify applicants, as local inquiries or alternative verification methods may be used. Over one lakh volunteers and nearly 98,000 booth-level officers are being deployed to assist voters, especially vulnerable groups.

The enumeration process runs from June 25 to July 26, with the draft voter list to be published on August 1. Claims and objections can be filed between August 1 and September 1, with the final electoral roll scheduled for release on September 30. The exercise aims to verify existing voters and address illegal entries, particularly concerning non-citizens, in accordance with constitutional provisions.