From forged Form-6 entries to unauthorized political presence at BLO camps, Bihar’s electoral revision drive reveals a crisis of credibility at the heart of Indian democracy.
By Navin Upadhyay
A political firestorm is brewing in Bihar as mounting evidence points to systemic manipulation in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. As the state prepares for the 2025 Assembly elections, alarming allegations of mass-scale voter data tampering, fake entries, and unauthorized form submissions have prompted outrage from opposition parties, civil society, and journalists. The situation demands immediate redressal — not through token denials, but through an independent, court-monitored forensic investigation that can expose the scale of wrongdoing and restore public trust.
The scandal exploded into public consciousness after veteran journalist Ajit Anjum released a series of videos on his YouTube channel during the last few documenting blatant irregularities in Patna, Begusarai, and other districts. In his July 18 report from Patna, Anjum interviewed citizens who discovered pre-filled Form-6 entries bearing their names, addresses, and forged signatures already uploaded to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) portal. None of these individuals had consented to such entries. Their shock was palpable. Their rights, apparently, disposable.
This wasn’t an isolated mishap. In Begusarai’s Sahebpur Kamal, Anjum had earlier exposed a Booth Level Officer (BLO) admitting to uploading incomplete or fake forms without photos or identity proof under administrative pressure. Shockingly, rather than acknowledging the evidence, the local administration filed an FIR against Anjum on July 13, accusing him of “obstructing government work” and “inciting communal tension.” The Press Club of India and DIGIPUB News India Foundation swiftly condemned the FIR as an attack on press freedom and demanded its withdrawal.
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Meanwhile, a separate controversy erupted in Darbhanga on July 17, when a video surfaced showing Kavita Kumari, President of the BJP Mahila Morcha (District Unit), allegedly reviewing voter forms while seated beside a BLO. The optics were damning: a political figure appearing to influence a process meant to be free of partisan interference. The Election Commission, in its July 16 statement, denied any wrongdoing, citing a lack of “conclusive evidence.” Yet it failed to explain why no disciplinary action had followed or why Kumari was even present at a government registration site.
पटना के दस वोटर्स को सुनिए
BLO इनके पास आए नहीं
BLO से इनकी मुलाकात हुई नहीं
‘ SIR ‘ का फॉर्म इन्होंने देखा भी नहीं.
लेकिन इन सबका फॉर्म अपलोड हो गया .
एपिक के साथ सर्च करने पर पता चल रहा है कि इनके फॉर्म जमा हो गए हैं . pic.twitter.com/D48IxiPyXX— Ajit Anjum (@ajitanjum) July 19, 2025
The opposition is rightfully up in arms. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya have all called out what they describe as a BJP-backed disenfranchisement campaign, targeting minorities and marginalized groups. In Bhagalpur district alone, over 77,000 voters are flagged for potential deletion—29,558 due to “duplicate entries” and 47,980 for alleged relocation, with few safeguards against wrongful exclusion.
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Despite the Supreme Court stepping in on July 10, asking the ECI to also consider Aadhaar, voter ID, or ration cards instead of restrictive documents like birth certificates, implementation on the ground has been erratic. Many BLOs in Darbhanga, Madhubani, and Katihar are operating out of makeshift centers, violating the ECI’s own directive for house-to-house verification. Voters are wading through monsoon floods to meet the July 25 deadline, often without receiving confirmation receipts for submitted forms.
What’s urgently needed is a forensic audit, encompassing:
- Handwriting analysis to verify voter signatures.
- Digital footprint tracking of BLO uploads.
- Randomized field surveys to confirm voter participation.
- Immediate suspension and inquiry into BLOs and officials found to have breached protocol.
- A full investigation into Kavita Kumari’s role, including whether she had unauthorized access to voter data.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear further petitions on the matter on July 28, must consider appointing an independent oversight body—perhaps headed by a retired judge—to monitor the cleanup of Bihar’s electoral rolls. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), PUCL, and other NGOs are already pushing for accountability.
Bihar has been here before. From booth capturing in the 1990s to more sophisticated digital manipulation in the present day, the threat to free and fair elections has merely evolved. The tools may have changed, but the intent remains disturbingly familiar.
If the Election Commission fails to act decisively now, it risks irreparable damage—not just to Bihar’s 2025 elections, but to the sanctity of the democratic process across India. This scandal is not about administrative error; it is about the fundamental right of every citizen to vote freely and fairly. And no election is credible until that right is guaranteed.
The time for silence has passed. The time for truth—and forensic scrutiny—is now.
