Senior BJP functionary Amit Malviya asserted that the Congress did not file a single complaint in the prescribed format concerning either additions or deletions in the voter list, and used this to challenge Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft” during his campaign. The BJP framed the inaction as evidence of hypocrisy and political posturing.
The final list reflects a decline from the earlier 7.89 crore voter count before SIR was initiated, with nearly 69 lakh names removed due to reasons including death, migration, and multiple registrations. While the revised figure is higher than the 7.24 crore in the draft roll published in August, the discrepancy has triggered intense scrutiny of the exercise. The SIR process, launched after a 22-year gap in Bihar, ran from June 25 through claims and objections by September 1.
Opposition parties sharply contested the process. Congress leadership, while accusing the BJP of systematic exclusion of marginalised voters, has kept its public statements muted since the final roll was published. Reports indicate the All India Congress Committee has yet to issue a formal response. Analysts interpret the silence as a strategic pause, possibly awaiting judicial or administrative developments.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier labelled removal of 65 lakh names during the SIR as an “institutionalised way to steal votes” and demanded accountability. He has questioned why the BJP maintained silence even as large-scale deletions were carried out. Opposition parties across the INDIA bloc warned of disenfranchisement of poor and marginalized citizens, citing patterns of exclusion in densely populated areas.
The Supreme Court is weighing the legality of the SIR under a pending public interest litigation filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms. The court has already ordered the Election Commission to publish a searchable list of deleted names with reasons, and to accept objections supported by Aadhaar and EPIC. These interim directions aim to ensure transparency and safeguard the rights of excluded voters.
In response to opposition claims, BJP leaders defended the SIR, calling it a necessary “clean-up” to purge bogus entries. Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi insisted the process was neutral and inclusive. Government sources maintain the revision was generated from objective criteria, not partisan interests.