Electoral Roll Revision in Bihar

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, to be completed by July 31, 2024. This has raised concerns of mass exclusion of migrant voters, given the strict verification criteria and limited timeline. Political parties and civil society groups argue that migrant workers—20% of Bihar’s voters—risk wrongful deletion from voter lists.

Legal Safeguards and ECI Criteria

• Definition of 'Ordinary Resident': Under Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, a person does not lose ‘ordinary residence’ status merely by temporary absence. Migrants intending to return must be retained on the rolls.
• ECI Manual Guidelines: Electoral roll handbooks allow for continued enrollment of temporary migrants, provided they show intent and ability to return to their registered address.
• Risk of Misapplication: Despite legal clarity, strict field verification and short deadlines risk arbitrary removals, particularly when verification teams are under pressure to complete work quickly.

Electoral Dynamics and Male Outmigration

• Voting Data from 2024 General Elections: In Bihar, more women voted than men, despite a higher number of male electors—indicating large-scale absenteeism among male voters, likely due to migration.
• Gender Turnout Disparity: For every 1,000 male electors, there were 1,017.5 women voters, but only 5 women registered per 1,000 men, exposing a participation deficit rooted in labour migration.
• Link to Long-term Migration: Many absentee male voters are long-term migrants, who remain registered in their native villages but reside and work in distant states, causing systemic distortion in voter representation.

Policy Challenges and Electoral Inclusion

• Need for Careful Distinction: The ECI must distinguish between short-term and long-term migrants, to avoid disenfranchising temporary migrants who retain domicile and intent to return.
• Representation Where Residing: For long-term migrants, the electoral system should facilitate re-registration at their place of work, ensuring political accountability in their actual socio-economic environment.
• Timeline Inadequacy: The one-month window for SIR is insufficient for such a complex task and could lead to errors with serious implications for voter rights and democratic participation.

Practice Question:

Discuss the legal and administrative challenges in ensuring the inclusion of internal migrants in India's electoral rolls. Evaluate the recent electoral roll revision process in Bihar in this context, and suggest reforms to safeguard the voting rights of migrant populations.
(250 words)