Bihar Electoral Roll Revision

The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar has drawn criticism for imposing complex citizenship documentation, raising fears of mass voter exclusion and a backdoor NRC-like exercise.

Procedural Flaws and Documentation Crisis

• Timing and Frequency of Revision:The last intensive revision occurred in 2003; a special summary revision was just completed in January 2025. Initiating another intensive revision just weeks before elections raises concerns about the credibility and intent behind the timing.
• Unprecedented Documentation Requirements:Citizens are now required to produce proof of citizenship from a list of 11 documents, many of which are inaccessible to marginalized populations. This level of stringency is unprecedented in the history of electoral roll revision.
• Complex Age-Based Proof Burden:Proof requirements differ based on age cohorts (pre-1987, 1987–2004, post-2004), demanding multi-generational documentary evidence. This disproportionately burdens youth and migrant families who may lack stable documentation infrastructure.

Exclusionary Bias and Administrative Arbitrary Power

• Socially Biased Document List:Most of the accepted documents (educational, property-related, government service-based) privilege the propertied and educated, reflecting colonial-era suffrage limitations and systematically disadvantaging the poor.
• Aadhaar and MGNREGA Excluded:Commonly held documents like Aadhaar and MGNREGA cards are explicitly excluded, revealing disconnect from ground-level documentation realities and enhancing the arbitrariness of the process.
• Discretionary Power of Local Officials:While EROs are empowered to conduct inquiries and hearings, the lack of time, training, and resources amplifies discretion and scope for bias, especially in administratively weak states like Bihar.

Structural Ramifications and Democratic Fallout

• Opaque Appeals and Fear of Foreigners Tribunal: Citizens whose status is flagged risk referral to Foreigners Tribunals, evoking memories of NRC-linked legal harassment in Assam, and further eroding public trust.
• Replication of Demonetisation-like Disruption:Like demonetisation, this order imposes state-induced anxiety and disrupts daily life, especially with seasonal floods and labour migration already impacting lakhs of Bihari households.
• Violation of Democratic Ethos:Voting, being central to citizenship and republican values, demands a transparent, inclusive, and citizen-friendly process. This current exercise, lacking in fairness and readiness, undermines these democratic foundations.

Practice Question:

 “The Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in Bihar reveals deeper structural biases in bureaucratic governance.” Critically examine in the context of voter disenfranchisement, constitutional safeguards, and democratic accountability. (250 words)