Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission is carrying out a large-scale Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The draft data released after the first phase shows that 65 lakh names have been removed across the state.
These deletions include voters who have permanently shifted, those confirmed deceased, and people already registered elsewhere. A section of names was also cut after officials failed to trace their details.
Patna, Madhubani and East Champaran Top the List
- The highest number of deletions were reported in Patna, Madhubani and East Champaran districts, reported ABP News.
- 3.9 lakh voters: permanently shifted
- 3.42 lakh: deceased
- 2.25 lakh: absent
- 1.04 lakh: duplicate registrations
Women voters were removed in larger numbers than men. Notably, over one-third of those deleted are aged between 18 and 40 years.
In total, 10.63 lakh names were cut across these three districts, making up 16.35% of the 65 lakh deletions statewide. Together, these districts cover 36 Assembly constituencies out of 243. In the 2020 elections, the BJP-JD(U) alliance had won 22 of these seats, while the opposition secured 14.
Patna Records 3.95 Lakh Deletions
- Patna, the most populated district of Bihar, reported the highest number of deletions at 3.95 lakh.
- 1.55 lakh permanent shifts
- 1.34 lakh deceased
- 73,225 absent
- 32,481 duplicate entries
Of these, 1.26 lakh voters were under 40 years of age, with 67,011 permanently shifted. Another 2.69 lakh deletions were of voters above 40. In Patna, more women than men were struck off from the list.
Madhubani Second in Voter Removals
- Madhubani stood second with a 5.42% deletion rate. The major reason here was also permanent shifting, accounting for 1.18 lakh voters (33.52%).
- 1.01 lakh deceased
- 99,082 absent
- 33,993 duplicate entries
Among the deletions, 1.44 lakh voters were under 40, including 90,529 who had shifted permanently. In its 10 Assembly constituencies, the 30–39 age group saw the most deletions, with women voters once again leading the count.
East Champaran Third With 3.16 Lakh Names Cut
- East Champaran ranked third, reporting 3.16 lakh deletions, or 4.86% of the state total.
- 1.18 lakh (37.25%) permanent shifts
- 1.07 lakh deceased
- 52,934 absent
- 37,952 duplicate entries
Here too, the younger demographic was most affected, with 1.33 lakh deletions among voters under 40. For those above 40, most were removed as deceased (94,877). Across its 12 constituencies, the 30–39 age bracket recorded the highest deletions, followed by the 40–49 and 20–29 groups.
Opposition Questions Transparency
The large-scale removal of names has triggered political debate. The Opposition has accused the Election Commission and the government of a lack of transparency in the process.
Opposition Leaders argue that removing 65 lakh names is no small issue, highlighting that more women and voters aged 18–40 have been struck off than other groups.