Bihar Congress Levels Explosive Allegations Over 89 Lakh Voter List Complaints; Election CEO Issues Strong Rebuttal Ahead of 2025 Polls

A political storm is brewing in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, as the state unit of the Congress party has launched scathing accusations against the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, H.R. Srinivasa. The Congress alleges that a staggering 89 lakh complaints related to the voter list have been arbitrarily rejected, fueling suspicions of political manipulation.

Prem Chand Mishra, a prominent Congress MLC, spearheaded these allegations, claiming that the CEO's office is acting as an "agent of the BJP" to deliberately influence the upcoming polls.

Mishra articulated his party's deep concern, stating, "We have received specific information that a massive number of 89 lakh complaints regarding discrepancies in the voter list have been summarily rejected. This is a clear attempt to distort the electoral landscape."

The Congress leader further alleged that these rejections are part of a systematic effort to target and delete the votes of specific communities and economically disadvantaged sections of society.

He pointed to the recent deletion of 4.4 lakh voters from the rolls, questioning the impartiality and transparency of the process. "It appears the Election Commission's office in Bihar is working to favour a particular political party, rather than upholding the principles of free and fair elections," Mishra asserted.

In a swift and sharp rebuttal, Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer H.R.

Srinivasa categorically dismissed the Congress's claims, branding them as "misleading, baseless, and a deliberate manipulation of facts." Srinivasa clarified that the figure of 89 lakh complaints cited by the Congress is a distortion of actual data and does not represent genuine rejections of voter list discrepancies.

The CEO elaborated on the nature of the applications received, explaining that a significant portion—approximately 27.2 lakh applications—were related to the linking of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers.

"These are not complaints of errors or deletions; they are applications for data integration, which is a separate administrative process," Srinivasa stated. He emphasized that these applications are handled differently from formal complaints concerning voter list accuracy and are not 'rejected' in the context alleged by the Congress.

Srinivasa detailed the robust and transparent procedure followed for processing applications related to the voter list.

He clarified that applications for new registrations (Form 6), deletions (Form 7), and corrections or transfers (Form 8) are all meticulously reviewed according to the stringent guidelines set by the Election Commission of India. Rejections, he affirmed, only occur for valid and justifiable reasons, such as:

• Duplicate applications submitted by the same individual.
• Failure to provide necessary supporting documents.
• Applicants not being found at the registered address during door-to-door verification drives.
• Applications for deletion or correction that lack a proper reason or sufficient evidence.

"Every decision to accept or reject an application is thoroughly documented and made in strict adherence to the law," Srinivasa assured.

He highlighted that the voter list revision is an ongoing and dynamic process aimed at maintaining the accuracy and inclusivity of the electoral rolls. As part of this continuous update, approximately 43 lakh new voters have been successfully added to the list, while 4.4 lakh voters have been deleted due to various valid reasons, including deaths or shifts in residence.

The CEO also reminded the public and political parties that there is a clear appeal mechanism in place.

Any applicant whose request is rejected has the right to appeal the decision to the respective District Election Officer (DEO). This ensures an additional layer of scrutiny and redressal for any perceived grievances.

This heated exchange between the Congress and the Election Commission's office in Bihar underscores the high stakes involved in the upcoming 2025 Assembly elections.

With both sides firmly entrenched in their positions, the controversy is likely to keep the accuracy and integrity of Bihar's voter lists under intense public and political scrutiny.