SIR process was started in June 2025
According to the Election Commission, the SIR process began in June 2025, during which all 7.89 crore existing voters were instructed to re-fill their forms. The draft list was released on August 1, containing 7.24 crore names, with 6.5 lakh names (of deceased, migrated, or duplicate voters) removed. The final list will now expedite the electoral process.
Bihar election dates to be announced soon
A three-member team of the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, will visit Patna on October 4 and 5, to take stock of poll preparedness in Bihar. They will also discuss the polling dates (likely to be held in three phases between November 5 and 15).
Speculation is high that the Bihar Assembly elections will be formally announced shortly after October 6. Once the dates are declared, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will come into immediate effect across the state, placing restrictions on transfers, postings, and new government schemes or announcements.
These parties will get the Voter list free of cost
As per the Election Commission rules, nationally recognised political parties will receive this voter list free of cost, while unrecognised regional parties and independent candidates will have to pay a fee. Under the Election Commission guidelines, nationally recognised parties will receive both hard and soft copies of the voter list free of charge. The following national parties in Bihar are eligible for this benefit.
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Janata Dal (United) (JDU)
- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
- Congress
- Communist Party of India (CPI)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)
- National People's Party (NPP)
These political parties will receive the voter list for all 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar free of charge. The list can be obtained from the online portal (ceoelection.bihar.gov.in) or from the district election offices.
Which parties will have to pay a fee?
Unrecognised regional parties, newly formed parties, and independent candidates will have to pay the prescribed fee for the voter list. Some of the major parties in Bihar in this category include:
- Jan Suraj Party (JSP)
- Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
- All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM)
- Other smaller parties and independent candidates
Fee amount
The fee is Rs 100 for a hard copy and Rs 50 for a soft copy (PDF) per assembly constituency. There are 243 constituencies in the state. The total cost for a hard copy of the entire voter list will be approximately Rs 24,300 and Rs 12,150 for the soft copy. Additional charges may apply for extra data (such as polling station-specific lists).
The term of the 243-member legislative assembly ends on November 22, and assembly polls in the key state are likely to be held in November.
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