What happens to ‘missing names’ on Bihar SIR list? | Explained

The story so far: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has completed the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar by publishing the draft voter list on August 1. However, 65 lakh names have been removed from this list for various reasons, and the fate of lakhs who have been included on the draft list without submitting verification documents is also up in the air. As poll officials scrutinise forms and conduct inquiries on claims and objections in preparation for the publication of the final list on September 30, the Supreme Court is hearing objections to the SIR process filed by Opposition parties and civil society groups, with the next hearing set for August 12.

Also Read | No name will be deleted without notice, says ECI on Bihar SIR

What happened in the first phase of SIR?

In the month after the EC launched the Bihar SIR process on June 24, booth-level officers (BLOs) carried out house visits, distributing pre-printed enumeration forms. Voters not included on the 2003 electoral rolls were required to submit documents proving the date and place of birth of themselves and their parents. As it became clear that many voters could not provide any of the EC’s 11 approved documents — which did not include more commonly available documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID cards, or ration cards — the EC issued an advertisement on July 6, urging people to submit their forms before the deadline even if they could not provide supporting documents, leaving it to the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to process the forms on the basis of local investigations or other evidence. All those who submitted their forms before the deadline were included on the draft roll published on August 1.

DATA | Analysis of Bihar SIR electoral rolls hints at higher voter deletions in Muslim-majority districts

Who are the ‘missing names’ in the draft?

The existing electoral rolls just before the SIR process began contained the names of 7.89 crore registered voters. The draft rolls published on August 1, however, only contain 7.24 crore names, indicating a dip of more than 65 lakh. The ECI accounted for these 65 lakh “missing names” by explaining that 22.34 lakh people on the earlier list were found to be deceased, 36.28 lakh have migrated permanently to another State, or are untraceable, and 7.01 lakh are duplicate voters who have been found registered in multiple locations. Patna saw the highest number of such cases, with 3.95 lakh voters not included on the draft list. On July 13, the EC said a large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar were found during the house-to-house verification exercise and that they would not be included in the final electoral roll. The Hindu analysed the deleted names by comparing the draft roll with a list published by the EC in January 2025, which shows a drop of 56 lakh names, including 31 lakh fewer women voters and 25 lakh fewer men, which is unusual given that majority of migration outside the State is by men. Analysis indicated that more deletions may have occurred in districts with larger Muslim populations as per 2011 Census.

DATA | More women than men deleted from electoral rolls in Bihar during SIR

How can names be added or deleted?

Claims and objections to the draft roll can be filed throughout August to correct wrongful inclusions or exclusions. One week into the process, the EC has received 7,252 such claims and objections from individuals. Political parties have claimed that their ground workers too have filed similar claims to correct errors in the draft roll but the EC has denied it. In a plea to the Supreme Court, poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms said the full list of names removed from the draft rolls, along with specific reasons for removal, has not been provided to all political parties. EROs are to conduct inquiries on claims and dispose of them within seven days of filing. Each ERO is also expected to display the list of claims daily so that objections can be raised by the public.

DATA | Bihar’s migrants lack SIR documents

What will happen to those who submitted their forms without documents?

The SIR order seems to leave such cases to the discretion of the EROs and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) who will scrutinise the eligibility of electors based on documents submitted and field reports provided by BLOs. “In case ERO/AERO doubts the eligibility of the proposed elector (due to non-submission of requisite documents or otherwise), he/she will start a suo moto inquiry and issue notice to such proposed elector, as to why his/her name should not be deleted,” the order says. “Based on field inquiry, documentation or otherwise, ERO/AERO shall decide on inclusion of such proposed electors in the final rolls. In each such case, ERO/AERO shall pass a speaking order,” it adds. No name can be deleted from the draft roll without such a speaking order, the EC said.