First draft of SIR released in Bihar, people will be able to search their name on ECI website from 3 pm today

New Delhi: The Election Commission has released the draft of the revised voter list today after a special intensive revision process in Bihar. Copies of the draft voter list have been handed over to the recognized political parties. Physical and digital copies of the draft of the revised voter list were handed over to all recognized political parties in all 38 districts by the District Election Officers of Bihar. The Election Commission will also upload the draft voter list on its official website https://voters.eci.gov.in at 3 pm. Voters will be able to see their names in the draft voter list and those whose names are not there will be able to register their objection with the Election Commission.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has assured that all voters and political parties of Bihar will be invited to give claims and objections on the revised voter list from August 1 to September 1. The CEC said that the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar and the Electoral Registration Officers of all 243 assembly constituencies will invite voters or any recognised political parties in the state to come forward from August 1 to September 1 to submit claims and objections for addition and deletion of names in the draft voter list and correction in voter information.

65 lakh names to be removed from voter list in Bihar
The final voter list will be published on September 30 after the SIR process started in Bihar from June 24. The Election Commission had said in a press note on July 27 that 91.69% of the voters registered in the voter list in Bihar have submitted their counting forms and their names will be included in the draft to be published on August 1. The Election Commission said in a statement that as of June 24, 2025, more than 7.24 crore voters out of 7.89 crore voters had submitted the counting forms, indicating massive participation of people in the SIR process. This means that the names of 65 lakh voters will not be included in the draft list of August 1.

The Election Commission said that the reasons for not including the name in the voter list include death of the voter, permanent transfer and being registered at more than one place. The Commission said that young voters, who have completed the age of 18 years on July 1, 2025, or will complete the age of 18 years on or before October 1, 2025, are being encouraged to file their application in Form 6 along with the prescribed declaration. The Election Commission said that it will run a special campaign across Bihar from August 1 to September 1 to register such young voters, so that all eligible voters can be registered and no one is left out.

India Block is opposing SIR in Bihar
The SIR order issued by the Election Commission on June 24 said that this process will be implemented across the country starting from Bihar. This controversial process has also been challenged in the Supreme Court. Opposition parties have termed it as a National Register of Citizens brought in through the back door. MPs of parties included in the India Block protested in the Parliament premises at 10.30 am on Friday, demanding a discussion in both the houses on the special in-depth revision of the voter list in Bihar. Opposition parties termed SIR as theft of votes.

MPs of all opposition parties, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, DMK’s A Raja and RJD’s Misa Bharti, protested against SIR with placards and posters-banners, on which it was written, ‘SIR is an attack on democracy’. The proceedings of the Lok Sabha began with uproar. India Block MPs raised slogans against the special in-depth revision of the voter list in Bihar and waved placards in the House. Speaker Om Birla appealed to the opposition members to maintain peace and let the proceedings of the House run smoothly, but the uproar continued. He adjourned the proceedings of the Lok Sabha till 2 pm.