The Times Of India Podcast Is the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar too intensive?
Jul 9, 2025
Jagdeep Chhokar, co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms, shares insights on the contentious Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. He discusses the multiple legal challenges and the burdens placed on marginalized voters. The conversation highlights the struggles of migrant laborers in maintaining their voting rights and critiques the Election Commission’s handling of the process. Chhokar emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability to restore trust in the electoral system.
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Citizenship Presumption Flaw
- The Election Commission's order presumes citizenship only for voters registered before January 1, 2003, excluding later voters from that presumption.
- This leads to removing names of post-2003 registered voters without following proper legal deletion procedures, creating a legal conflict.
Illegal Criteria Change for Bihar Voters
- The Election Commission illegally changed voter registration criteria in Bihar, requiring documentary proof of place of birth.
- Supreme Court rulings prohibit demanding specific documents and presume citizenship of existing registered voters.
Document Issues and Confusion
- The 11 documents accepted by the Election Commission for proof often lack required details like place of birth.
- Conflicting deadlines and requirements cause confusion and reduce the reliability of collected voter registration forms.