As part of Bihar's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly advised political parties to increase the number of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) they appoint. Political parties must take immediate action rather than voicing concerns later, according to ECI sources, highlighting the significance of active involvement in the revision process.
According to sources, the Bihar SIR exercise is proceeding without incident and in compliance with the directives issued on June 24. Additionally, the Commission has made it clear that any false information that is currently in circulation regarding the revision process is baseless and unfounded.
Nearly one lakh trained Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and an equal number of volunteers are involved in this extensive electoral effort. The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, 38 District Election Officers, nine Divisional Commissioners, and 243 Electoral Registration Officers are coordinating these efforts.
According to sources, there is still room for more Booth Level Agents to be deployed, even though national and state-level political parties recognised by the ECI have already appointed over 1.5 lakh BLAs. A senior ECI source emphasised the necessity of a proactive and positive approach from political stakeholders by saying, "They should appoint more BLAs now rather than complaining later."
Due to a lack of confirmation from political parties, a planned meeting between the ECI and a multi-party delegation to discuss the SIR process was postponed on Wednesday. In response to a request made by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) via email on June 30, the meeting was initially scheduled for July 2 at 5 pm. On behalf of multiple parties, the AICC's lawyer had requested an urgent appointment, identifying himself as the multi-party group's counsel.
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The Election Commission contacted the appropriate political parties for confirmation as part of its routine procedure. But no confirmations were received by July 1st, so the Commission decided to postpone the meeting. Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar reaffirmed that the primary objective of the SIR is to guarantee a clean and accurate electoral roll, one that includes all eligible voters and excludes those who are ineligible, while commenting on the revision process. According to him, the initiative was especially concerned with protecting the rights of legitimate residents and avoiding the inclusion of "illegible" voters.
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According to Kumar, who cited the Representation of the People Act, an individual can only cast a ballot in the Assembly constituency in which they regularly reside. He explained, "For instance, if a person lives in Delhi but owns property in Patna, they must be registered to vote in Delhi, not Patna."
To make sure no one is left behind, the Commission has sent out more than one lakh volunteers to help vulnerable groups—such as the elderly, the ill, people with disabilities, and marginalised communities—complete their Enumeration Forms. The revision process is intended to accomplish two goals, according to Kumar's conclusion: "to ensure that no eligible voter is left out, and at the same time, no ineligible voter is included in the Electoral Roll."
Also Read: Only eligible citizens can be listed in electoral roll: EC
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