On Sunday, the Election Commission announced that an impressive 91.6% of voters in Bihar had completed their enumeration forms for the special intensive revision of the state's electoral rolls, concluding the first phase of the initiative on Friday.

According to the poll panel, over 7.2 crore out of 7.8 crore registered voters in Bihar submitted their forms by the deadline, showcasing significant engagement.

This indicates that approximately 65 lakh names from the July 2025 list may not be included in the draft rolls set to be released on August 1.

The Election Commission noted that 2.8% of electors (22 lakh) had passed away, 4.5% (26 lakh) had moved permanently, and 0.8% (7 lakh) were found to be registered in multiple locations.

The status of the 65 lakh voters will be clarified after the electoral registration officers review the forms by August 1, as stated by the commission.

“However, legitimate voters can still be added to the electoral rolls during the Claims and Objection period from August 1 to September 1, 2025,” the commission mentioned.

Electors registered in multiple locations will be retained at only one address.

The commission emphasized its commitment to ensuring that no migrant worker is overlooked, which included advertisements in Hindi across 246 newspapers and outreach efforts to connect with Bihar's migrant population.

Approximately 16 lakh migrant workers completed the enumeration forms online, while around 13 lakh downloaded the forms.

The electoral roll revision in Bihar was initiated by the Election Commission on June 24.

As part of this process, individuals whose names were absent from the 2003 voter list must provide proof of their eligibility to vote.

Voters born before July 1, 1987, are required to present proof of their date and place of birth, while those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must submit documents verifying the date and place of birth of at least one parent. For those born after December 2, 2004, proof of date of birth for themselves and both parents is necessary.

If the electoral registration officers are satisfied with the provided information, voters will be re-enrolled in a new voter list. Otherwise, they will be removed from the rolls.

A draft roll is scheduled for publication on August 1, with the final roll expected by September 30. Bihar is anticipated to hold Assembly elections in October or November.

On July 2, eleven parties from the INDIA bloc expressed concerns to the Election Commission, warning that the special intensive revision could disenfranchise numerous voters who might struggle to provide the required documentation.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar defended the revision process on July 6, asserting that it was necessary due to widespread dissatisfaction with the current voter rolls.

On July 10, the Supreme Court encouraged the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ration cards as valid documents for the electoral roll revision. However, on July 21, the commission clarified that these documents could not be accepted as standalone proof for the process.

In a counter-affidavit submitted to the court, the commission also stated that a person's citizenship would not be revoked if they were found ineligible for registration in the electoral rolls.

The court is scheduled to hear the case again on Monday.

On Sunday, the Election Commission reiterated that the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1 is not the final voter list, emphasizing that a month will be available to include eligible voters and exclude those who are not.

The commission expressed confusion over the uproar surrounding the process, stating that there would be ample time to address any inaccuracies in the list.

Political parties are encouraged to engage with their workers to monitor the progress of the revision process.

“Why not ask their 1.6 lakh booth-level agents to submit claims and objections from August 1 to September 1?” the commission suggested.

Booth-level agents, appointed by political parties, collaborate with Election Commission officials in preparing or updating the voter list.

“Why are some individuals attempting to convey that the draft list is the final list, which it is not, according to the special intensive revision orders?” the commission added.