Final Voter List for Bihar Released, 47 Lakh Names Deleted After Revision.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday published the final electoral roll for Bihar, following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) carried out after 22 years. The updated voter list will form the basis of the upcoming Assembly elections, with the poll schedule expected to be announced between October 6 and 7.
According to the ECI, nearly 47 lakh names were deleted during the revision exercise, mainly due to duplication, shifting, or death. At the same time, over 21.53 lakh new voters were added, taking Bihar’s total electorate to 7.42 crore as of September 30, 2025.
In Patna district, the number of voters rose from 46.51 lakh in the draft list (August 1) to 48.15 lakh in the final roll, marking a net increase of 1.63 lakh.
Voters can now check their details online at voters.eci.gov.in
, the poll body announced.
Key Points from the Revision
Draft rolls published: August 1, 2025
Initial deletions: 65.63 lakh names removed, draft list stood at 7.24 crore voters
Additions during revision: 21.53 lakh new names included
Final count: 7.42 crore voters as of September 30
Claims/objections period: Aug 1 – Sept 1; over 16.56 lakh applied for inclusion
Further corrections can be made up to 10 days before the last date of nomination; names will appear in a supplementary list
Opposition Criticism and SC Scrutiny
The SIR exercise has triggered a political storm. Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, accused the EC of mass disenfranchisement and labelled the revision a “vote theft” drive. A “Voter Adhikar Yatra” was launched to protest the deletions.
The matter also reached the Supreme Court, where petitioners argued that lakhs of voters risked losing their franchise. The Bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, warned it could scrap the rolls if irregularities were proven, stressing the need for “en masse inclusion” over “en masse exclusion.” The next hearing is set for October 7.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, defended the revision as essential for removing “infiltrators” from the rolls—an allegation strongly contested by the opposition.
EC’s Bihar Visit Ahead of Polls
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Dr SS Sandhu and Vineet Joshi will visit Bihar on October 4–5 to review election preparedness. They will meet political parties, state officials, and civil society groups. Poll observers will also hold a preparatory meeting in Delhi on October 3.
With the final rolls now published and the Assembly’s term ending on November 22, the election schedule is expected to be announced within the next week.
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