As the deadline for Bihar’s ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ends on Monday, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court. A petition filed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will be heard, seeking an extension of the window to file claims and objections. The outcome could directly affect the inclusion or deletion of names from the state’s voter list ahead of crucial electoral battles.
On Sunday, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming that the party’s booth-level agents (BLAs) had submitted nearly 8.9 million complaints about irregularities in the Bihar rolls.
“The EC keeps getting news planted through its sources that no complaints are coming from any political party. The truth is that the Congress submitted 89 lakh complaints pertaining to irregularities in the SIR,” Khera alleged at a press conference in Patna.
He further claimed that Congress BLAs were told their complaints would not be accepted, as objections could only be filed by individuals, not political parties. “When our BLAs went to file complaints, their complaints were turned down by the EC,” Khera said.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar immediately countered the allegations, dismissing Khera’s claims as baseless.
“Till date, no BLA authorised by any district president of the Indian National Congress in Bihar has submitted any claim (Form 6) or objection (Form 7) in the prescribed format,” the CEO’s office stated.
Later, the ECI clarified that while district Congress presidents had indeed submitted letters demanding the deletion of 89 lakh names, the format was not compliant with rules. “As per rules of ECI, name deletions must be filed through Form-7, and BLAs of any party can submit petitions only in the prescribed format with proper declaration,” the Commission said.
Also Read: “Without Tariffs, America Would Be…”- Trump Defends Trade Policy Amid Court Setback
The Congress has demanded a complete re-conduct of the SIR exercise, alleging “large-scale irregularities” that cast doubt on the poll panel’s intentions. Meanwhile, the RJD’s plea before the Supreme Court on Monday adds a fresh legal dimension to the standoff.
With the voter list forming the foundation of Bihar’s democratic process, the controversy is set to raise serious questions about transparency, accountability, and fairness in electoral practices.
