New Delhi: Poll authorities in Bihar have issued notices to nearly three lakh electors with “doubtful citizenship”, officials said on Friday.
The three lakh electors are among the 7.24 crore people who have found their names in the draft electoral rolls published on August 1 as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar.
Those issued notices are suspected to be from Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and even Afghanistan, officials said, citing ground reports.
“These three lakh people had enrolled themselves in the draft voter list as per SIR. However, scrutiny of documents showed discrepancies. Subsequently, field visits were carried out, which further led to suspicion that these people might be from Bangladesh, Myanmar or Nepal,” an official said.
Notices have been sent to suspect voters, mostly in districts of East Champaran, West Champaran, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Araria, and Supaul.
This area of Seemanchal has a porous border and has often been in the political crosshairs. While the BJP has alleged illegal immigration by Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in this region, parties like Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM have said that the people in this belt are uneducated, living in flood-prone areas, and therefore most vulnerable to losing documents.
As per the SIR orders, “no name can be deleted from the draft list published on 1st August 2025 without passing a speaking order by the ERO/AERO, after conducting an enquiry and after giving a fair and reasonable opportunity”.
EC officials usually conduct an enquiry if an objection is filed against a suspected voter. But sources said in the case of these three lakh people, scrutiny itself revealed discrepancies. “Most of them were not part of the 2003 voter list. Their names, addresses, and other details were found to be mismatched in the Aadhaar and other submitted documents,” an official said.
A total of 1.96 lakh claims and objections have been received so far as per ECI data. Most of these claims and objections have been filed by individuals, while 82 have been filed by political parties, including three from RJD and 79 from CPI (ML).
The number of notices being sent could go up as the electoral registration officers continue to scrutinise documents. A total of 7.24 crore electors made it to the draft rolls and 65 lakh names were deleted in phase one of SIR. Electors have time till September 1 to submit one of the 11 specified documents to make it to the final electoral rolls.
