Reality check: many Bihar voters cannot read Special Intensive Revision forms, do not have any documents listed by ECI

Two days ago, Chandra Mohan Singh, 65, a resident of Mahmada village in Bihar’s Saran district and a voter from booth no. 240, was given a form for the special intensive revision of the State’s electoral rolls. It still remains blank. Asked about the purpose of the form, he says, “It is given to me to find out whether I am dead or alive.”

This is the ground reality of the SIR exercise in the villages surrounding Chapra town, headquarters of the Saran district. Most voters who spoke to The Hindu are not even aware of the exercise to revise electoral rolls from scratch ahead of the State Assembly elections, slated to take place by the end of the year.

Most villagers have been given enumeration forms, distributed by booth level officers (BLOs), but are not literate enough to understand and fill them, and many do not have a single document of the 11 options listed by the Election Commission.

No valid documents

No one in Mr. Singh’s family, all members of the Kushwaha community, is able to read the forms which have been given only to the four members born before 1987. His wife, Ramdai Devi, 58, says, “I don’t know what this is. BLO sahab has asked me to fill it up and submit it as soon as possible. I don’t know what to fill. I asked my son but he is also not able to understand it.”

Mr. Singh says he will take someone’s help to fill up the form, but the bigger challenge is the documents which he has been asked to furnished to prove his date and place of birth to validate his spot on the electoral roll. “Except Aadhaar card and ration card, I don’t have any other documents,” he says.

Another village resident Yogendra Baitha proudly flaunts his possession of an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter identity card, driving licence, and bank passbook. Unfortunately, none of them are acceptable for the SIR process.

“Then what kind of documents are these people looking for? If I apply for a birth certificate or caste certificate to prove that I belong to the Scheduled Caste, I don’t think I will get it before July 26, which is the deadline [for the SIR],” says Mr. Baitha, standing outside his unfinished house.

Aadhaar not included

According to the Election Commission, those born before July 1, 1987 must produce a document establishing their own date and place of birth, while those born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004 must produce such documents for themselves and one of their parents, while those born after December 2, 2004 must produce documents for themselves and both parents.

The documents being accepted are include birth certificates, passports, education certificates, permanent residence, forest rights, and caste certificates, the National Register of Citizens, family register prepared by State and local authorities, land or house allotment certificates issued by the government, as well as documents issued to government employees or pensioners, and other documents issued by a range of public authorities before 1967.

The Aadhaar card is the most common identity card held by villagers as it is used to obtain all government benefits, but it is not on the EC’s list

‘Will sit on dharna’

Meena Devi, 66, says that the documents listed by the EC are not practical. “If they want us to submit any documents mentioned, then they should open a separate counter in the block office from where we can get the documents,” she says. To get a birth certificate, for instance, one has to apply in the sub-divisional officer’s office, then verification would be done by a circle officer, before the document is issued.

Shiv Kumari Devi, 62, another villager from the same booth, was told her name would be removed from the voter list if she did not submit the required documents. “How can anyone remove my name from the voters list? I voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, that time my name was valid, and now it will become invalid?” she demanded.

Daulti Kumari, 26, is married to Rakesh Kumar Manjhi who resides in the Dalit Tola in Garkha block of booth number 239, and has been asked to submit documentary proof of her parents’ date and place of birth. “After marriage I have shifted to my in-laws’ house and I don’t have any documents of my parents,” she says.

Kanti Devi, 47, from Dharampur village, a voter of booth number 271 under the Marhaura Assembly constituency says that she has been casting her vote in every election without any problems. “What has happened suddenly? We do not know why this survey is going on. BLO has filled my form and asked me to submit some documents. Where will we get these documents? If my name is removed, then I will sit on dharna at the block office,” she warns.

Our hands are tied: BLO

Every polling booth has more than 1000 voters, and Mahmada panchayat has eight polling booths. The BLOs, who are the point persons in this exercise, admit that many voters will not be able to meet the requirements.

Dinesh Kumar BLO of booth number 240 said that there is a need to spread awareness about the SIR through loudspeaker, television and radio campaigns and advertisements.

“We are following the instructions of the EC but our hands are also tied. It is not possible to fill the form of every voter and help them personally,” says Mr. Kumar, adding that he can only guide voters on how to go ahead.

Another BLO, Bhupendra Kumar of booth number 239, expressed apprehension that many voters may be removed if they fail to submit the documents.

Ugrin Mahto, BLO of booth number 271 says he is just following the instructions of the EC, but there are people asking him a lot of questions. For instance, some voters’ parents have passed away, leaving BLOs uncertain to how to guide voters in the SIR process.

Published – July 01, 2025 10:58 pm IST