Storm Over Bihar Voter List, ADR and RJD Question Election Commission

National News: Bihar is witnessing a growing storm over its voter list. A group of petitioners has moved the Supreme Court, alleging that the Election Commission’s ongoing revision exercise is deeply flawed. According to them, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are cutting corners and indulging in serious lapses while updating names on the rolls. Locals allege that forms are being filed without any proof of identity and, shockingly, even under the names of people who are no longer alive. This has sparked worries that genuine voters could find themselves missing from the list when elections arrive.

ADR’s Claim – “Targets Trump Rules”

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has accused the Election Commission of focusing on numbers over fairness. “BLOs are uploading forms without voter consent—just to tick off targets,” ADR alleged. The group warned that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is being mishandled: “This approach erodes the credibility of the voter roll and could leave lakhs of voters disenfranchised.”

RJD’s Criticism – “BLOs Skipping Homes, Forging Signatures”

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has also turned up the heat. RJD MP Manoj Jha said: “Voters are reporting that BLOs never visited their houses. No duplicate forms, no receipts, no photos—nothing.” He alleged that instead, BLOs are forging voter signatures and uploading those bogus entries online.

Key Worries

• Forms filed without proper ID documents
• Applications submitted in the names of deceased people
• Alleged forged signatures on voter forms
• Fear that authentic voters’ names may be wiped out

Why It Matters

The dispute raises a bigger question: Will Bihar’s voter list be accurate and trustworthy before the polls? Both ADR and RJD warn that unless the flaws are fixed quickly, lakhs of eligible citizens might lose their right to vote — a move they say would undermine the very core of India’s democracy.

EC Under Pressure to Respond

The growing criticism has put the Election Commission in the spotlight. Activists and political parties are demanding greater transparency in the voter verification process and insisting that BLOs be held accountable for irregularities. Observers warn that if corrective action isn’t taken soon, public trust in upcoming elections could take a serious hit, casting a shadow over Bihar’s democratic credibility.