Only 117 Claims, Objections Filed by Political Parties in Bihar: ECI

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday disclosed that only 117 claims and objections were submitted by political parties in Bihar between August 1 and 29, despite repeated opposition allegations of “vote theft” and manipulation of voter lists.

In sharp contrast, nearly 2.12 lakh claims and objections were filed directly by individual electors during the same period.

According to the ECI’s bulletin dated August 29, of the 117 submissions from political parties, 108 came from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) filed nine objections, while all six recognised national parties — including the BJP, Congress, AAP, BSP, CPI(M), and the National People’s Party — filed none.

The announcement comes amid ongoing criticism from opposition groups such as the Congress and RJD, which have alleged that the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process is being misused to disenfranchise voters. The SIR exercise began on June 24 with the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 1. The window for filing claims and objections closes on September 1.

The ECI clarified that generic complaints not filed in the prescribed forms are not treated as valid claims or objections. It also noted that no submissions were received from persons outside the electoral roll of a specific constituency, as defined under Section 2(g) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

So far, 2,11,650 claims and objections have been submitted directly by voters to correct or update the rolls. Additionally, 11.36 lakh new applications have been received from young electors who recently turned 18.

The ECI stressed that no voter’s name can be removed from the rolls without a formal speaking order by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) or Assistant ERO after due inquiry. Aggrieved individuals may still file Form 6 applications, along with Aadhaar identification, before the September 1 deadline.

With inputs from IANS