Editorial 2: ​​Fraught franchise

Context

A nationwide SIR would mirror the risks already exposed in Bihar.

Introduction

The Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar reduced electors from 7.89 crore to 7.42 crore, raising concerns about transparency, exclusion, and fairness. With women and vulnerable groupsdisproportionately affected, and the Supreme Court intervening for accountability, the Bihar case highlights risks in extending such a process nationwide without reform.

Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Experience

• Final Tally: Electoral rolls reduced to 7.42 crore electors, down from 7.89 crore.
• Purpose: Intended to clean up rolls by removing duplicates, migrants, deceased.
• Concerns:
  • 65 lakh names deleted with little transparency.
  • Supreme Court intervention forced ECI to provide reasons.
  • Women disproportionately affected, raising accuracy questions.
• Opacity: No clear data on 3.66 lakh removals, Form 6 additions, or foreign nationals.

Exclusion Risks and Identity Barriers

• Default Suspicion: Bihar’s exercise reflected an attitude of mistrust towards voters.
• Identity Requirements: ECI demanded birth certificates, caste, domicile papers.
  • Many poor, illiterate, women, SCs, and OBCs lacked these.
  • Refusal to accept widely-held documents (like ration cards, Aadhaar) worsened exclusion.
• Result: Vulnerable groups faced disproportionate deletion and systemic bias.

Lessons from Electoral Management Research

• Best Practices Suggested:
  • Door-to-door verification by enumerators to supplement self-reporting.
  • Acceptance of widely available documents (Aadhaar, ration cards).
  • Advance publication of deletion reasons with a robust appeals process.
• Past Indian Experience:
  • Early 2000s revisions used booth-level officers and physical checks, reducing errors.
  • Burden of proof not solely on voters.

Way Forward for a National SIR

• Risks of Replication: Extending Bihar’s model nationally may repeat exclusions.
• Digital Solutions:
  • Use technology to consolidate and publish exclusion data.
  • Provide physical notices at constituency level.
  • Balance transparency with privacy.
• Objective: Ensure no legitimate voter is excluded.
• Urgency: Karnataka’s Aland incident already raised doubts over ECI’s technical capacity.

Conclusion

A nationwide SIR, if based on Bihar’s model, risks large-scale voter exclusion and erosion of trust. To safeguard electoral integrity, the ECI must adopt inclusive practices—accepting widely-held IDs, ensuring door-to-door verification, and offering a clear appeals process. Combining digital transparency with local verification is essential to prevent disenfranchisement and uphold democratic participation.