In the sweltering summer of 2025, as Bihar prepared for its upcoming Assembly elections, a quiet revolution was brewing—not in the streets, but in the dusty registers of democracy. The Election Commission of India had launched a massive exercise called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, to clean up and update the state’s voter rolls. It wasn’t just a bureaucratic formality. It was a mission to ensure that every eligible citizen had a voice—and that no ghost or duplicate voter haunted the ballot.
The Beginning: A Knock at Every Door
Starting on June 24, thousands of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) fanned out across Bihar’s towns and villages. They carried forms, lists, and a sense of duty. Their task? To meet every household, verify voter details, and collect documents. People filled out forms, handed over Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and even old land records. Some brought out faded copies of the 2003 electoral roll, hoping it would prove their legacy in the land. By July 25, the numbers were in: over 7.24 crore voters had submitted their forms. But not everyone made the cut. Around 65 lakh names were flagged for deletion—due to death, migration, or duplication.
The Reveal: Draft Roll Day
On August 1, the Election Commission unveiled the SIR Draft Voter Roll. It was like opening a giant ledger of democracy. The draft was published online, and political parties received copies to scrutinize. Citizens rushed to check if their names were still there. Some sighed in relief. Others frowned in confusion. A few were missing—and they wanted answers.
The Fix: Claims and Objections
But the story didn’t end there. The Commission had built in a safeguard: a Claims and Objections window from August 1 to September 1.
If your name was missing, you could file Form 6 to be added. If someone had been wrongly deleted, you could raise a claim. If your name was there but your age was wrong, you could request a correction. Behind the scenes, BLOs and officials worked tirelessly to verify each claim. Camps were set up at Block Development Offices to help people gather documents. Volunteers helped the elderly, the illiterate, and those from marginalized communities.
The Storm: Controversy Brews
But not everyone was happy. Opposition parties cried foul, alleging that lakhs of voters—especially from certain communities—had been unfairly removed. Petitions reached the Supreme Court, which reminded the Commission: “Inclusion must be the priority. Democracy thrives when every voice is heard.”
The Finale: September 30 Beckons
As the clock ticks toward September 30, the Election Commission is racing to resolve every claim and finalize the voter roll. The final list will decide who gets to vote in Bihar’s next big election—and who doesn’t