The Election Commission of India (ECI) is planning to initiate a comprehensive house-to-house verification process during the forthcoming revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, prior to the state Assembly polls.
The initiative is intended to make voter rolls strong, correct and error-free, sources in the ECI said.
This type of thorough verficiation was recently done in 2004 and, as claimed by the ECI, is not new.
Civil society organizations, political parties and election watchdog agencies have raised concerns time and again over the years regarding mistakes on voter rolls such as the inclusion or exclusion of electors' names wrongly.
The Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to the Enrollment of eligible and true citizens only. It carries out annual revisions of electoral rolls and also freshens them before elections and by-elections.
India's legal and constitutional provisions regarding registration of voters are clearly outlined. Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, provide clear guidelines for the eligibility and disqualification of voters.
One of the most prominent causes of regular updates is internal migration.
The nation continues to witness extensive inter- and intra-state migration for marriage, employment, education and family needs. During the year 2024 alone, the ECI has received 46.26 lakh applications from citizens who have altered residence.
Moreover, 2.32 crore voters sought correction in their details, and 33.16 lakh asked for replacement of their cards. All in all, almost 3.15 crore changes were implemented in the nation within one year.
Removing the names of the deceased voters is another section where the rolls must be updated on a regular basis. Nevertheless, deletions lag behind because the family members do not usually go to the ECI to notify them.
New voter enrolment, particularly of those turning 18, and requests for changes in names, photographs or addresses are also routine parts of the revision process.
The ECI has also been rationalising polling stations, reducing the number of electors per station from 1,500 to 1,200. This is aimed at ensuring that no voter has to travel more than two kilometres to cast their vote.
In addition, the Commission has also been removing names of foreign nationals who are illegal from the rolls. Authorities reiterate that all updates to the rolls are made in compliance with legal provisions and regulations.
Political parties are provided with sufficient opportunities to raise objections, make claims and appeal orders before the rolls are finally published.
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