The Bihar Chief Election Officer (CEO) responded to Congress submitting close to 89 lakh complaints to the Election Commission regarding the voter lists in the state, saying that the party did not follow the proper process of correctly filling up the prescribed form.
The CEO confirmed receiving letters from Congress for the deletion of around 89 lakh names from the Bihar draft electoral roll in the past couple of days, but said that such complaints can only be submitted with a declaration.
Also Read | Eyes on SC ahead of today’s deadline for Bihar SIR claims
"The Presidents of the District Congress Committees of the Indian National Congress have, in the last 1-2 days, submitted letters to the District Election Officers in Bihar, requesting the deletion of the names of around 89 lakh (8.9 million) people from the electoral rolls,” the CEO said in a statement posted on X.
The official statement further added that, as per the Election Commission's rules and directions, names can only be deleted through "Rule 13 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, under which only Form 7 can be submitted."
{{/usCountry}}The official statement further added that, as per the Election Commission's rules and directions, names can only be deleted through "Rule 13 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, under which only Form 7 can be submitted."
{{/usCountry}}"Booth Level Agents appointed by political parties, who can file objections in the prescribed format. Such objections, under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, must be submitted along with a declaration," it added.
The CEO pointed out that the data mentioned in the Congress complaint of "89 lakh voters" was unverified. The official statement mentioned that the ERO will take the 'appropriate decision' on the process of deleting around 89 lakh voters. It also added that names would be considered for removal only after sworn affidavits and proper scrutiny.
The statement also referenced the Supreme Court's interim order dated August 22, which stated that any objections regarding incorrect entries in the electoral rolls must be submitted in the prescribed format to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer.
Bihar is undergoing a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls before the upcoming assembly election in the state. The last date to submit objections to the draft electoral roll released earlier is Monday, September 1.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court of India is set to hear the RJD's petition regarding an extension in the last date to file claims and objections for the Bihar SIR.
Congress says the Election Commission refusing to accept SIR complaints
Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed on Sunday that the Election Commission in Bihar has previously refused to accept the filed complaints, and is claiming through sources that no political party has filed an objection.
He made the claim while addressing a press conference in Bihar's Patna.
"The election commission, through sources, has planted that no political party is objecting; one must have heard this. We also got to know that we did not do anything. Congress has submitted 89 lakh complaints to the Election Commission. We kept on doing our work silently and smiled at the sources. We then understood why zero complaints," Khera asked.
"Then we got to know that when complaints are not taken from our BLAs when they go to submit them. Instead, they are saying they will take from individuals," he added.
According to EC, it received 118 claims and objections in total from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation for the SIR 2025 of the electoral rolls in Bihar. Of the 118 claims and objections, the CPI (ML) Liberation filed 103 for exclusion of names, while 15 were filed for inclusion.