The ECI said voters, parties, and 1.6 lakh BLAs had a month to report errors, with RJD deploying 47,506, Congress 17,549, and Left parties over 2,000, totaling 67,000+

New Delhi

With just five days left for the claims and objections process to end, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Tuesday that it has so far received 1.62 lakh applications from voters in Bihar for changes in the draft electoral rolls. These include requests for inclusion or deletion of names. Out of the total 1,62,453 applications, 17,516 have already been resolved by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). The process, which started on August 1, will continue till September 1.

The Commission said that the CPI(ML) Liberation is the only political party to have filed objections, with 10 complaints against the draft rolls. Despite repeated appeals, most parties have shown little participation in the revision exercise. At the same time, 4.33 lakh young voters who turned 18 have applied for enrolment during this Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

As per rules, claims and objections can only be addressed after a seven-day notice period and proper verification. Names cannot be deleted without a formal order following an enquiry. Lists of names excluded from the draft rolls, with reasons, have been published online by District Election Officers and the Chief Electoral Officer. Voters can file claims with documents, including Aadhaar.

The ECI stressed that error-free electoral rolls are vital for a strong democracy. The SIR, which began on June 24, was based on data gathered through field-level surveys. Draft rolls were published on August 1 and shared with all recognised political parties. Eligible voters have until September 1 to submit claims in Form 6, while objections to ineligible entries can be filed using Form 7. Even non-electors may file objections by submitting the required declaration, the Commission added.