Bihar Voters to Get Mandatory Hearings on Deletion Challenges: Election Commission

Fast Summary

• The Supreme court directed political parties to instruct their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to assist excluded voters from Bihar in submitting requisite forms with documents or Aadhaar cards.
• Bihar’s draft voter rolls published on August 1, 2025, omitted 65 lakh names due to reasons like deaths, migration, and duplications.
• Challenged deletions will have a mandatory hearing with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), who has the authority for scrutiny and issuing speaking orders explaining decisions.
• BJP leader Amit Malviya emphasized that Aadhaar is proof of identity and residence but not citizenship. He stated it cannot be solely used for enrollment under Special Intensive Revision (SIR) guidelines.
• Citizenship confirmation in India is governed by the Citizenship Act, 1955. The Union Home Ministry did not specify valid document categories required for proving citizenship when queried in Parliament.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The exclusion of over 65 lakh names from Bihar’s electoral rolls raises concerns about potential disenfranchisement just ahead of elections. the mandatory hearings set forth by the apex court provide an notable safeguard, ensuring individuals have a pathway to contest wrongful deletions.However, clarity on admissible documents for voter inclusion remains critical given its overlap with citizenship issues highlighted by both legislative responses and political debate.

This development underscores India’s continuing challenge of balancing extensive bureaucratic exercises like roll revisions while safeguarding democratic rights. It also puts focus on improving coordination among stakeholders-Election Commission officials, political agents like BLAs, and affected citizens-to address grievances efficiently. Given the complexities surrounding documentation like Aadhaar vis-à-vis citizenship proofs as per existing laws, further legal clarifications or policy reform might potentially be warranted to avoid confusion in future revisions.

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