The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday published the final electoral roll data after conducting the month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year. As per the poll body, the number of electors in the state was 7.89 crore as on June 24, 2025, but it has received 7.24 crore enumeration forms (EFs).
In total, 65.64 lakh EFs were not received and they were not included in the draft, the Election Commission said.
As per the data, Patna district had 50.47 lakh electors as on June 24, 2025, but the ECI received 46.51 lakh EFs. Similarly, in Gaya, there were 31.47 lakh electors, but the poll body received 29.01 lakh EFs there. There were 26.27 lakh electors in Sitamarhi, but the ECI received 23.82 lakh of EFs, as per the data.
In Araria, out of 20.82 lakh electors, the ECI received 19.24 lakh EFs. Meanwhile, there were 22.68 lakh electors in Purnia as on June 24, 2025, but the poll body received 19.94 lakh EFs. Darbhanga had 30.03 lakh electors, but only 27.99 EFs were received by the ECI.
Meanwhile, Siwan had 26.09 electors, but the poll body received 23.87 lakh EFs. Out of 26.74 lakh electors in Vaishali, the ECI received 24.48 EFs. In Begusari, it received 20.77 lakh EFs out of 22.45 lakh electors. In Jamui, there were 13.40 lakh electors, but the ECI received 12.48 lakh EFs.
About the SIR drive in Bihar
The SIR began in Bihar in June, and the voters have time till September 1 to approach the authorities against wrongful deletion of names. This process concluded by July 25. In the first stage of SIR, voters were provided with "enumeration forms", either by booth-level officers (BLO) or booth-level agents (BLA) nominated by political parties, which they were to return after putting their signatures and appending documents acceptable as proof of identity.
What did the opposition say?
The opposition has constantly criticised the SIR drive in poll-bound Bihar, demanding a debate in Parliament. However, the government has said that the Parliament cannot discuss the functioning of ECI, citing a ruling by former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar.
"This is not the first time the EC is doing it. Whether Parliament can discuss the EC's administrative work or not is for the Chair to decide in accordance with rules," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, noting a minister related to the issue in discussion generally replies to the concerns raised by members.
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