Large Number Of Foreign Nationals Found During EC's Voter Verification Drive In Bihar Ahead Of Assembly Elections

New Delhi: Field-level officials of the Election Commission have reported encountering "a large number" of individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar during house-to-house verification visits as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, officials said on Sunday. They emphasized that the names of illegal migrants will not be included in the final electoral roll, which is scheduled to be published on September 30.

Detailed verification of such individuals will be conducted after August 1. Citing ground-level reports, EC officials stated that booth-level officers (BLOs) had found a significant number of foreign nationals during door-to-door visits.

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The Commission reiterated its commitment to eventually carry out similar intensive revisions across the country to identify and remove ineligible foreign migrants by verifying place-of-birth details. As of Saturday evening, 80.11% of eligible electors in Bihar had submitted their Enumeration Forms (EFs), according to the EC.

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The Commission is working toward completing EF collection before the stipulated deadline of July 25. “With 77,895 BLOs and an additional 20,603 newly appointed BLOs on the ground, the EC is making steady progress in collecting Enumeration Forms across all 243 Assembly constituencies,” it said. Field teams comprising 38 District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and 963 Assistant EROs (AEROs) are being closely monitored by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar.

These efforts are being reinforced by 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties, who are also conducting door-to-door visits to ensure that every existing elector, as per the June 24 electoral roll, is covered. In parallel, over 4 lakh volunteers are assisting senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and other vulnerable groups in the submission process.

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The EC noted that 100% of the Enumeration Forms had been printed, and distribution to electors found at their registered addresses was nearing completion. So far, 6,32,59,496 EFs—accounting for 80.11% of the total—have been collected. "This means that four out of every five electors in Bihar have submitted the EF. At this pace, a majority of the forms are expected to be collected well before the July 25 deadline," the Commission said.

To have their names included in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1, electors must submit their Enumeration Forms along with eligibility documents, preferably by the July 25 deadline. However, those who need more time to furnish documents can do so separately until August 31, the last date for filing claims and objections. Volunteers are available to assist electors throughout this process.