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PATNA: The ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar is likely to become a model for the Election Commission of India ( ECI ), which plans to replicate similar exercises in other states like West Bengal and Assam, where assembly elections are scheduled following Bihar’s. The Bihar assembly election is set for Oct-Nov this year.While the focus now shifts to July 28 when the Supreme Court will hear the ECI’s response following its initial hearing on July 10, the process of collecting enumeration forms, already distributed to most voters, is set to conclude by July 25.In its earlier remarks, the Supreme Court declined to halt the process or issue any interim order but asked the ECI to consider Aadhaar cards, ration cards and MGNREGA cards as valid documents. It has also sought a detailed response on key concerns raised by the petitioners.Despite this, the ECI is unlikely to amend its position. By July 12, over 80% of Bihar’s approximately 7.9 crore registered voters had already submitted their enumeration forms. According to ECI estimates, the remaining submissions are expected before the July 25 deadline.As per the ECI’s notification on June 24, the SIR began on June 25.Voters not listed in the 2003 electoral were asked to submit any one of 11 specified documents, excluding Aadhaar, ration and MGNREGA cards along with their completed and signed enumeration forms.However, with many rural voters lacking these documents, booth-level officers (BLOs) have “unofficially” relaxed the rules, accepting forms either without documentation or with Aadhaar or voter ID cards.The ECI has made it mandatory for all voters to submit a completed and signed form. Those born after 1987 and added to the voter list after Jan 1, 2003 must prove their citizenship through documents such as a birth certificate, passport or educational certificate. July 1987 has been set as the cut-off for providing proof of date and place of birth to qualify for registration.Voters residing outside Bihar are also required to download, fill and upload the enumeration form with the necessary documentation via the ECI website by July 25. Failure to comply may result in removal from the electoral roll. The ECI encourages long-term migrants to enrol at their current place of residence to prevent duplication of voter IDs.The ECI has justified this revision drive citing factors such as rapid urbanisation, internal migration, new eligible voters, unreported deaths and the inclusion of foreign nationals.The exclusion of Aadhaar, ration and MGNREGA cards as valid identity proof, based on citizenship concerns, could have wider implications, particularly in border states with changing demographics. Allegations persist that illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh have entered Indian territory and obtained Aadhaar cards.Media reports suggest that in Bihar’s Seemanchal region, comprising the districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia, the number of Aadhaar card holders exceeds the actual population by approximately 25%. This discrepancy is largely attributed to Aadhaar numbers still being active for people who are deceased.BJP MP and former state party president Sanjay Jaiswal said, “The revision will expose and remove illegal entries like those of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis from the list.”On the other hand, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani said, “If the infiltrators have become voters, then why not cancel the membership of the MPs elected in 2024 and hold fresh Lok Sabha elections? And if there are infiltrators in Bihar, then what was your govt doing?”The UIDAI has clarified that Aadhaar is a means of identity verification and does not establish citizenship or domicile.However, this distinction may pose difficulties for some new voters, particularly newly married women from Nepal who settle in Bihar’s border districts. Due to familial information required on the form, many may struggle to prove their Indian citizenship either by birth or lineage.The ECI has dismissed allegations from the opposition as politically driven. In a post on its official X account, the commission pointed out that the RJD had appointed 47,507 booth-level agents (BLAs) actively participating in the revision process, despite the party accusing the ECI of disenfranchisement.The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), one of the petitioners, has argued before the Supreme Court that 30% to 40% of Bihar’s population has migrated for work or business, making it impractical to include them in the revision on such short notice.During the hearing, the Supreme Court posed three critical questions to the ECI – whether it has the authority to amend the voter list, what procedure it followed and whether the timing of the revision was appropriate. The court observed, “If you have to check citizenship under the special intensive revision in Bihar, then you should have taken steps earlier. It is a bit late now.”In response, the ECI cited Article 326 of the Constitution, which requires Indian citizenship to be eligible to vote. The commission also argued that the Representation of the People Act contains provisions relating to citizenship.The ECI’s stance came under scrutiny when the Supreme Court questioned whether determining citizenship fell under the commission’s jurisdiction. “This is the Home Ministry’s job and the EC should not go into that,” the court observed.However, the ECI said citizenship cannot be proved only by Aadhaar card and there is a provision for citizenship in the Representation of the People Act as well.As of now, the revision is being implemented by 77,895 BLOs, 20,603 newly appointed BLOs, over 4 lakh volunteers and 1.56 lakh BLAs deployed by political parties – all working to complete the process under tight timelines.