ECI’s Dismissal of Opposition Demands on Bihar Voter List Revision Is a Grave Threat to Democracy

Mohammad Shafi, National Vice President of the Social Democratic Party of India, expresses serious concern over the Election Commission of India’s outright rejection of the legitimate demands raised by opposition parties regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The ECI’s unwillingness to address concerns around timing, documentation requirements, and the risk of mass disenfranchisement represents a grave violation of its constitutional mandate and poses a direct threat to democratic rights.

Opposition leaders had urged the Commission to pause the revision, highlighting its impractical timeline, rigid documentation norms, and the likelihood of excluding over two crore voters—particularly from marginalized communities including Muslims, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, migrant workers, and the poor. Instead of responding with transparency, the ECI falsely claimed that these concerns had been “fully addressed.” Its arbitrary restriction on delegation sizes further undermined the! possibility of genuine dialogue.

The requirement for voters registered after 2003 to produce birth certificates—a document scarce in a state where only 75% of births are officially recorded—threatens to disenfranchise millions. The rushed timeline, which ends on 25 July 2025, for verifying nearly eight crore electors is not only unmanageable but highly suspect, especially with Bihar Assembly elections due in November.

Although the ECI asserts that the process aligns with Article 326 of the Constitution, its implementation clearly targets the socio-economically vulnerable. The Commission’s refusal to accept alternative ID proofs such as Aadhaar or voter cards, its lack of independent oversight, and its failure to provide public justification make this exercise dangerously similar to exclusionary efforts like the NRC.

The SDPI demands an immediate suspension of the SIR, an extended and fair timeline, acceptance of alternative documents, independent auditing of voter roll changes, and an end to restrictions on political engagement. We call upon the people of Bihar and democratic forces across the country to resist this attack on the right to vote.