Revamping Voter Rolls: A New Era of Accuracy Awaits

The upcoming nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will reflect Bihar's recent success in purging lakhs of deceased individuals from its voter list. The Election Commission foresees improved accuracy in the electoral rolls once the integration of birth and death registries with electoral data becomes widespread.

In Bihar, where the SIR process began, the draft roll released on August 1st showed a reduction from 7.89 crore to 7.24 crore electors, following the removal of nearly 65 lakh names, including 22 lakh deceased individuals. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified that these deceased persons were likely unreported until now.

The Election Commission plans an efficient strategy to rapidly update voter lists and correct errors by acquiring death registration data electronically from the Registrar General of India. This approach ensures electoral registration officers receive timely death notifications, allowing booth level officers to verify these updates promptly.

(With inputs from agencies.)