Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the ECI of shielding voter fraud, citing evidence of duplication and exclusion from multiple constituencies.
BY PC Bureau
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced what it called an “unprecedented achievement”: that 98.2% of electors in Bihar have already submitted their documents during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. But the declaration, instead of evoking confidence, has triggered disbelief and anger across political and civil society circles, as media exposés and ground reports continue to highlight massive irregularities in the process.
In its press note (No. ECI/PN/297/2025), the Commission declared:
“As per information received from the office of CEO Bihar, till date documents of 98.2% Electors have been received. Thus, from 24 June to 24 August, i.e., in 60 days, 98.2% persons have submitted their documents. This means an average of about 1.64% per day.”
The ECI praised the state machinery, including “90,712 BLOs, lakhs of volunteers and representatives of all 12 major political parties,” claiming that the documentation exercise was not only near-complete but also ahead of schedule. Final rolls are slated for publication on September 30.
Fact check red alert!
चुनाव आयोग का अद्भुत दावा — बिहार के 98.2% वोटर अपने दस्तावेज जमा करवा चुके हैं!!
ECI has just released this extraordinary claim: 98.2% of electors in Bihar have already submitted their documents !
कृपया इस दावे को किसी भी गाँव मोहल्ले या BLO से चेक करें। सच… pic.twitter.com/ckv0oUKFyX— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 24, 2025
But critics say the Commission has brushed glaring anomalies under the carpet. From Araria to Sitamarhi, from flood-hit Seemanchal to parts of Gaya, local reporters have found the opposite reality: Booth Level Officers never visited households, villagers remain clueless about the process, and in some places, bulk entries were filled in without voter consent.
As one commentator put it sarcastically: So what if dead men were having tea with Rahul Gandhi on his yatra? The dead have been resurrected by the ECI. So what if lakhs of flood-displaced families are living in shelters? Their documents are somehow already in. So what if villagers across districts told the media they were never approached by BLOs? The ECI insists it has heard from 98.2% of Bihar’s electors.
READ: Rahul Gandhi Slams ‘Media Blackout’ of Yatra in Bihar
In a state where nearly half the population is reeling under floods and millions have fled their homes, the Commission’s claim of near-perfect documentation has been described by critics as nothing short of a miracle—one that, they argue, undermines the credibility of the revision process itself.
Election Commission has removed 60 out of 300 people from the voting list in a village in Bihar, almost all of them Yadavs
This is how elections are being fixed through SIR
— V🐧 (@Vtxt21) August 21, 2025
Earlier, at a joint press conference in Araria during his Vote Adhikar yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharpened his attack on the ECI, alleging that the ongoing SIR of voter rolls was being used to delete lakhs of names belonging to Opposition supporters. “In Bihar, SIR is an institutionalised way for vote theft. People alive are shown as dead, and their votes are cut. The BJP has not complained even once, because there is a partnership between the Election Commission and the BJP,” he said.
Yogendra Yadav Sounds the Alarm
Civil society voices were also quick to call out the Commission. On X (formerly Twitter), activist and psephologist Yogendra Yadav described it as a “Fact-check red alert”:
“चुनाव आयोग का अद्भुत दावा — बिहार के 98.2% वोटर अपने दस्तावेज जमा करवा चुके हैं!!
ECI has just released this extraordinary claim. Please check this in any village, any ward, ask any BLO and report the truth.”
He urged journalists and citizens to conduct on-the-ground verifications, underscoring the growing distrust of the ECI’s version of events.
BLO ने बताया चुनाव आयोग के SIR का सच!
‘हमारे ऊपर बहुत दबाव है,टूट चुके है’
चुनाव अयोग की ज़िद की क़ीमत चुका रहे हैं BLO
BLO ही ECI के आदेश पर वोट काटते-बढ़ाते हैं
Sanuj Kumar ने कहा कि ‘10 दिन और चाहिए’
चुनाव आयोग हड़बड़ाहट में काम करवा रहा है
Full report on Red Mike YT pic.twitter.com/zk3D7DtBR6
— Saurabh shukla (@Saurabh_Unmute) August 24, 2025
A Question of Credibility
Analysts warn that the issue is not about numbers alone but about faith in institutions. With Bihar headed for elections in late 2025, the battle over the authenticity of the voter list may well become a major political flashpoint. For now, the Commission insists its SIR is “on schedule and ahead of target.” But for voters, activists, and many in the media, the real question remains: is the ECI performing miracles—or manufacturing numbers?
