In Focus by The Hindu Pan-India SIR: Given the Bihar experience, what can we expect?
Oct 24, 2025
Sreeparna Chakrabarty, a dedicated journalist covering the Election Commission for The Hindu, dives into the complexities of the upcoming nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. She discusses the pitfalls of Bihar's controversial SIR, highlighting inaccuracies in voter lists and the implications for disenfranchisement. Concerns about migrant voter registration, the shifts in proving residency, and the practicalities of door-to-door checks are explored. Sreeparna also advocates for clearer, machine-readable voter rolls to enhance transparency.
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New De Novo Revision Shifts Burden
- The 2024 Bihar SIR used a new de novo process requiring every voter to fill an enumeration form.
- This shifts verification burden onto voters rather than relying solely on BLO-led updates.
EC's Justification: Migration And Foreigners
- The Election Commission justified SIRs by citing rapid urbanisation, increased migration and fears of foreigners on rolls.
- These are the official rationales, though their empirical basis remains contested.
Door-To-Door Distinguishes SIR From SSR
- Summary Revision (SSR) is routine and targets additions/deletions without door-to-door enumeration.
- SIR's door-to-door approach is what makes it operationally and politically distinct.