Election Commission in the dock over Bihar Elections 2025

Concerns over mass deletions, fairness of controversial SIR

With less than a month to go for the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar, the Election Commission finds itself at the centre of attention facing widespread accusations of colluding with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party with its highly controversial ‘Special Intensive Revision’ of electoral rolls that have opened a pandora’s box over deletion of millions of legal voters and additions of fictitious voters. Many voters believe that the controversy has put issues like employment, education and inflation in a shade.

The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections are fast becoming one of the most closely watched and debated state polls in recent memory. Weeks before polling dates were announced, a storm of controversies had already gripped the electoral process, triggering legal battles, political outcry, and rising public unease, particularly over the large-scale deletion of names from the voter rolls.

At the centre of this dispute has been the unusual decision of the Election Commission to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, a few months before the elections were to be held. The exercise has been bogged down in controversy with the EC facing serious charges of being less than transparent and independent about the exercise and of actually colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The EC has been dragged to the court on numerous occasions and has literally been forced by the court to be more open and transparent about the exercise and to let the voters and others know about the outcomes of the SIR, especially to allow impacted voters the right to appeal deletion of their names from the roles, as over 6.8 million names have been removed the revised list.

While the Commission claims the move was necessary to eliminate duplicates and outdated entries, many opposition parties argue that genuine voters, particularly women, migrant workers, and minority groups have been unfairly excluded.

Though the voters have largely remained outside the controversy, they, too, are concerned about the process.

“I feel worried because several people I know in Patna have found their names missing this time. As a homemaker, I rely on voting to express my voice, but if names are deleted without notice, it doesn’t seem fair. The process should be more transparent and careful,” Shruti Das, a housewife in Patna, Bihar, tells Media India Group.

Despite assurances from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who called the clean-up a “purification” of the rolls after 22 years, doubts remain on the ground. Many voters are unsure if their names still exist on the list and question how removals were decided. In some cases, voters have found themselves classified as “deceased” or “shifted”, even though they still live at the same address.

According to some voters, trust in the Election Commission has been shaken tremendously. “Earlier, the Election Commission inspired confidence, but its recent silence on irregularities is worrying. The delays in addressing complaints or verifying voter data make it seem less independent. Unless it acts firmly and transparently, doubts about fairness will continue to overshadow the whole electoral process,” Prerna Shekhar, a government job aspirant in Patna tells Media India Group.

Adding to the friction are broader concerns about the tone of the election campaigns themselves. Critics argue that real issues like unemployment, price rise, and healthcare are being sidelined in favour of political blame games.

“From what I see on TV and in campaigns around Patna, there is more blame game than real solutions. Household expenses are rising, and my children’s future depends on jobs, but leaders spend too much time attacking each other instead of working on these urgent problems,” adds Das.

The issue of promises and freebies has also surfaced as a major talking point. In the lead-up to elections, political parties have announced a flurry of schemes, free rations, cash transfers, and subsidies but many voters remain sceptical.

“Most promises sound good on paper but lack long-term planning or budget clarity. Freebies announced close to elections appear more like bait than real policy. If leaders truly cared, they would implement structural reforms rather than distribute benefits that vanish once votes are counted,” a student living in Gaya, Bihar, who did not wish to be named, tells Media India Group.

Underlying all of this is a feeling that certain communities or areas may be disproportionately affected by electoral decisions. Allegations of bias, whether in the form of selective voter deletions or uneven campaign outreach have led to fears that politics may once again fall back on divisions of caste or religion.

“The political climate feels divisive. Some groups are subtly portrayed as threats, while others receive calculated appeasement. This polarisation undermines democracy, it should be about citizens, not identities. Administrative steps like selective voter deletions only deepen the feeling of exclusion among already marginalized communities,” says Shekhar.

New technologies like mobile deposit kiosks and digital roll verification could improve access and ease, but only if implemented carefully and transparently. In a state like Bihar, where digital literacy and access remain uneven, such tools risk excluding marginalised voters if alternatives and fallback mechanisms are not provided. Without clear legal safeguards, transparency in backend operations and data protection measures, these technologies could undermine trust rather than build it

“Mobile deposit and clean-up could make voting smoother if done properly, but the way changes happen without clear explanations causes suspicion. I want technology to help, but first there must be awareness and safeguards for every voter,” adds Das.

As Bihar approaches election day, several key concerns continue to influence both voter sentiment and confidence in the electoral process. For many, voting is viewed not only as a means of selecting leadership but also as a way to ensure their voices are acknowledged. However, a significant portion of the electorate reports feeling uncertain about whether that promise is being fulfilled.