Bihar SIR: Poll authority notice to 3 lakh electors with 'doubtful citizenship'

The three lakh electors are among the 7.24 crore people who have found their names in the draft electoral rolls published on August 1 as part of the SIR.

New Delhi: Poll authorities in Bihar have issued notices to nearly three lakh electors with "doubtful citizenship", officials said on Friday.

The revision exercise began in Bihar, where polls are due later this year, on Wednesday (HT Photo)

The three lakh electors are among the 7.24 crore people who have found their names in the draft electoral rolls published on August 1 as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar.

Those issued notices are suspected to be from Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and even Afghanistan, officials said, citing ground reports.

During verification of documents, discrepancies were noted by the electoral registration officers (EROs).

Field inquiries were done thereafter and notices were issued, they said.

Notices were issued by the EROs largely in East Champaran, West Champaran, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Supaul.

"These were the districts from where the majority of these cases were identified," an Election Commission (EC) functionary said.

According to the poll panel, so far 99.11 per cent of the 7.24 crore electors of the state have submitted their documents for verification.

The final voter list of Bihar, where assembly polls could be held in November, will be published on September 30.

The EC has asked the Supreme Court to repose faith in it for carrying out the SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.