The Morning Brief Bihar’s Contentious Voter List Shake-up
Jul 10, 2025
In a riveting discussion, Anubhuti Vishnoi, Senior Editor at the Economic Times, and Ashok Lavasa, former Chief Election Commissioner, dissect Bihar's controversial voter list revision. They debate whether the Election Commission's demands for new documents are a necessary update or a strategy for disenfranchisement. The conversation highlights legal challenges, public confusion, and the implications for democracy, raising urgent questions about citizenship and the protection of voters' rights amidst impending elections.
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Bihar's Voter List Overhaul Explained
- The Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) requires detailed document verification unlike usual summary revisions.
- Citizens not listed in the 2003 electoral roll need to prove their citizenship with specific documents, excluding common IDs like Aadhaar and ration cards.
Document Exclusions Fuel Disenfranchisement Fears
- Aadhaar and Mandrega cards are not accepted as proof because they are not considered citizenship proofs.
- This exclusion fuels criticism that many citizens might be disenfranchised due to lack of acceptable documents.
Citizenship Verification Is Controversial
- The Election Commission's move to link voter verification with citizenship is unusual and controversial.
- Past Supreme Court rulings require that citizenship proof should not unfairly burden voters or disenfranchise those previously on electoral rolls.