EC to begin intensive review of voters' list in five more states by year-end

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Days after Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi made remarks on alleged voting list manipulation in Maharashtra, the Election Commission, after Bihar, is set to carry out an intensive review of electoral rolls by the end of this year in five states which are going to the polls in 2026.

Eventually, the poll authority will begin a special intensive revision across the entire country "for the discharge of its constitutional mandate to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls".

As part of the intense review function by the EC, poll officials will carry out house-to-house verification to ensure an error-free voters' list, as per PTI.

Moreover, the terms of the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal are ending in May-June next year, and an intensive review of the electoral rolls in these states will commence by the end of the year, officials said.

However, the Election Commission of India has decided to conduct a special intensive revision there immediately, since assembly polls in Bihar are due later this year.

Amid allegations by opposition parties that the EC has fudged voter data to help the BJP, the poll panel has taken additional steps in the intensive revision to ensure illegal migrants do not get enrolled in the voters' list, as per PTI.

Moreover, an additional 'declaration form' has also been introduced for a category of applicants seeking to become electors or shifting from outside the state.

They will have to prove that they were born in India before 1 July 1987 and provide any document establishing date of birth and/or place of birth.

It has also come to light that the form will include one of the options listed in the declaration form that determines whether the voter was born in India between 1 July 1987 and 2 December 2004. They will also have to submit documents about the date/place of birth of their parents.

Considering that the last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in 2003, the EC cited multiple reasons - such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths, and the inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants - which have necessitated the conduct of the revision to ensure the integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls.

Reports also suggest that booth-level officers will be conducting house-to-house surveys for verification during the intensive revision process.

The Election Commission of India, highlighting this matter, said, "While conducting the special revision, the EC will scrupulously adhere to the constitutional and legal provisions regarding eligibility to be registered as a voter and disqualifications for registration in an electoral roll, which are clearly laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, respectively."

(With PTI Inputs)