The Election Commission of India has finalized and released the updated voter list for Bihar after completing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections. This information is now accessible on the Election Commission’s website. The recently published list includes 1.4 million new voters.
The final voter list was issued on Tuesday, following the SIR process. Voters can view their details through a link provided on the Election Commission’s website. Additional information can be found at https://voters.eci.gov.in/.
**Last Opportunity to Register or Update Details**
Voters who are not on the list or need to update their information have until 10 days before the final nomination date to do so. They must fill out Form 6. The final voter list’s physical copies will be distributed to all District Magistrates and 12 recognized political parties today, accompanied by photographic documentation.
This final voter list comes after an extensive revision of the voter rolls in Bihar, an initiative that hadn’t been carried out in 22 years. The draft voter list was released on August 1, with a period for the public and political parties to raise objections and submit claims until September 1. The draft list initially contained 72.4 million voters.
**Opposition Raises Concerns About the SIR Process**
Opposition parties have expressed their concerns regarding the timing of the SIR process, which was conducted just before the elections, suggesting that it could potentially disenfranchise numerous eligible voters. In response, the Election Commission has assured that it will prevent the removal of any eligible voters and the inclusion of any ineligible individuals.
The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly is scheduled to conclude on November 22. The previous assembly elections took place in 2020 and were held in three phases.
**Election Schedule Announcement Expected Next Week**
With the final voter list now available, the Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule in the coming week. Before the announcement, the Commission will visit Patna on October 4 and 5 to review the election preparedness. Reports suggest that the assembly election schedule may be announced next week.
It is anticipated that the initial phase of voting will occur towards the end of October, shortly after the Chhath Puja festivities. Furthermore, the Election Commission plans to deploy 470 observers to oversee the elections in Bihar and by-elections in other states.