New Delhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh on July 21 slammed the Opposition for questioning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar.
Giriraj Singh said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is doing their job according to the Constitution.
Speaking to reporters, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, “I think those (opposition) raising such questions should have knowledge of the Constitution. The Election Commission is doing its job. In Bihar, the Election Commission is doing exactly what the Constitution says.”
He added that the ECI is working in the national interest.
“They have only asked two questions: Are they (voters) Indian citizens or not? Are they fake or genuine?… The Election Commission is working in the interest of the country,” Union Minister Singh said.
Union Minister Satish Chandra Dubey also launched an attack against the Opposition and said, “The opposition is protesting as they don’t trust the voters of the nation; they trust those with no record…They only trust those who have come from outside and settled here illegally.”
The Opposition is looking to raise the issue in the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Parliament.
Earlier today, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain moved a notice of motion in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls in Bihar, conducted months ahead of the legislative assembly elections in the state.
In a notice given to the General Secretary of the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States (Rajya Sabha), the Congress MP urged the house to discuss the concerns arising out of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
The notice reads, “That this House suspend Zero Hour and the relevant rules pertaining to Question Hour and other businesses of the day to discuss the concerns arising out of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of elections followed by a plan to conduct a similar exercise nation-wide including disenfranchisement of a large sections of the poor and marginalized, directly undermine the citizen’s fundamental right to vote and erode the fairness and integrity of our electoral system.”
Meanwhile, RJD MLA Tejashwi Yadav on Monday demanded a discussion on the ongoing SIR exercise in the Bihar Assembly Session. Speaking to the reporters, Tejashwi Yadav said, “The Assembly session has started today… Our demand is that a discussion on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) should be held in the Legislative Assembly.”
Yadav added that “Bihar is the cradle of democracy, and if anyone tries to end democracy here, we will not sit quietly. We will fight this battle to ensure that our poor are not deprived of their voting rights and their existence is not erased.
95.92 per cent voters covered under SIR drive so far
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar ahead of the Assembly Elections in the state later this year.
In a press release issued on late evening July 19, the ECI informed that 95.92 per cent electoral have been covered under the ongoing voter revision drive with 6 more days remaining to submit Enumeration Forms (EFs).
The Commission in the press note stated that over 90 per cent EFs have been received already out of which over 88 per cent are digitised. The commission noted that only over 4.08 per cent EFs are yet to be received under the ongoing drive.
बिहार #SIR : 95.92% मतदाता सम्मिलित; अभी 6 दिन और बाकी
✅ हर एक छूटे हुए मतदाता तक पहुंचने के लिए मिशन मोड में मुहिम जारी
✅ बीएलओ/राजनीतिक दलों के बीएलए सभी ऐसे छूटे हुए मतदाताओं को ढूंढ़ने में लगे हैं
विस्तार में पढ़े : https://t.co/38jqXnL249 pic.twitter.com/29fJyjBMBh
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) July 19, 2025
Notably around 2.5 per cent registered voters in the state are found to have permanently shifted outside with another 1.81 per cent found to be probably deceased. The Commission has confirmed that around 0.95 per cent are found to be enrolled at multiple places along 0.01 per cent who are not traceable.
The ECI aims to publish the draft roll of the voter revision exercise on August 2 before rolling out the final overhauled electoral list by September 30.
The Commission through the revision exercise aims to ensure inclusion of every eligible voter of the state in the overhauled list while removing the ineligible one’s. (With inputs from ANI)
