Patna: Union Minister Chirag Paswan on July 25 defended the Special Intensive Revision [SIR] exercise of Election Commission of India [ECI], stating that the drive will do no injustice to the Bharatiya citizens. The Union Minister stressed that the infiltrators at the same time will not be allowed to misuse the right to vote.
Interacting with the media personnel in state’s capital Patna, the LJP[R] chief said “No injustice will be done to any citizen of the country, but if someone is an infiltrator in the country, they will not be allowed to misuse the greatest right, the right to vote.”
Paswan further pointed out that the SIR is not taking place for the first time and is being conducted in a manner it was done on previous occasions as well.
“This process is not happening for the first time in the country; it has happened four times before, and this time it is being conducted in the same manner as it was done the previous four times,” he added.
The Union Minister’s comment has come at a time when the opposition parties are strongly rallying against the ECI’s campaign questioning the timing of the drive which is aimed at overhauling the electoral list in state of Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls
Proceedings were adjourned on Friday amid sloganeering by leaders of opposition parties in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, marking fourth consecutive day when proceedings in both houses were adjourned since the beginning of the Monsoon session on July 21.
99.8 per cent voters covered in SIR drive: ECI
Meanwhile the ECI on Friday announced that 99.8 per cent of the state’s electors have been covered under the SIR process.
Enumeration Forms of over 7.23 crore electors have been received and digitised, with their names set to be included in the Draft Electoral Roll, scheduled for release on August 1, 2025, informed the poll panel body in an official statement issued.
7.23 crore #Bihar electors express full faith in #SIR process with active participation
✅ 99.8% Bihar electors have been covered so far.
Read more : https://t.co/yqrrCbgLs0 pic.twitter.com/oxCLDM2Hbk
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) July 25, 2025
The Commission noted that electors have expressed full faith in the drive and the list of electors who have not submitted forms, are deceased, or have permanently migrated, was shared on July 20 with representatives of 12 major political parties
The ECI said that the move is aimed at enabling timely corrections before the Draft Electoral Roll is finalised. The Commission shared the key findings of the drive stating that 22 lakh electors have been reported as deceased. Seven lakh electors were found registered in multiple locations. 35 lakh have migrated permanently or could not be traced and 1.2 lakh enumeration forms are yet to be received.
The poll body in the press note emphasised that as per the SIR order, from August 1 to September 1, any elector or political party may fill the prescribed forms and submit claims to the ERO for any eligible elector who is left out or file objections for the removal of any ineligible elector.
Assembly Polls in Bihar is likely to be held in October-November this year with the ruling NDA facing a challenge from the Mahagathbandhan [Grand Alliance].
The ECI is all set to publish the draft electoral list on August 1 before rolling out the final electoral rolls by September 30.
