In a sharp political escalation over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, the Congress party has compared the exercise to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) — a controversial citizenship-verification drive earlier implemented in Assam.

Speaking to reporters, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said:

“This is nothing but a backdoor NRC being carried out under the guise of voter list cleanup. The Election Commission is overstepping its constitutional boundaries by checking citizenship, which is the domain of the Ministry of Home Affairs.”

Kanhaiya Kumar, a former JNU student leader and now a prominent face of the Congress, accused the EC of political bias and warned that the move could trigger social unrest in Bihar.

Citizenship Checks Are Not EC's Mandate: Congress

The Congress party said that electoral roll verification should remain limited to voter identity and residency and not require proof of citizenship, especially when many rural and poor citizens lack formal documentation.

Senior party leaders demanded:

• Immediate clarification from the EC about whether voters are being asked for citizenship-related documents.

• A public assurance that no voter will be struck off without due legal process.

• A halt to the SIR until the process is reviewed and made transparent.

A Pattern of Targeting the Poor?

The Congress further alleged that the revision is part of a broader strategy to suppress the votes of Dalits, minorities, and migrant workers, much like the fallout from the NRC in Assam, where nearly 1.9 million people were left out of the final list.

“When the NRC was conducted in Assam, poor people suffered. Now, the same template is being applied to Bihar under the Election Commission’s watch,” said Kanhaiya Kumar.

He accused the EC of working under pressure from the Centre and claimed that the Constitutional independence of the Election Commission is being compromised.

Political Reactions Continue to Build

Other opposition leaders backed the Congress’s stand:

• Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) called the SIR “an electoral scam in the making.”

• CPI(ML) leaders in Patna claimed that their party’s voters were being targeted for deletion from rolls.

• Trinamool Congress and Left parties expressed solidarity, demanding a Parliamentary review of the process.

Even within the EC’s official communications, there is no explicit mention of citizenship checks, but anecdotal reports from several districts suggest that field officers are demanding documents like land records, Aadhaar, and birth certificates.

EC's Response So Far

The Election Commission, under pressure, issued a second clarification late Wednesday night, stating:

• The SIR is meant to update and correct the voter list ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

• No voter will be removed unless due process under Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 is followed.

• Voters will be notified and given time to appeal if their names are flagged.

Still, critics say the practical reality on the ground tells a different story — with many voters unaware of the process or unable to provide the required documents.

What is the Special Intensive Revision?

The Special Intensive Revision is a process where the EC undertakes a detailed verification of the electoral roll, beyond routine annual revisions.

In Bihar’s case, the revision reportedly includes checks for:

• Duplicate entries

• Inaccurate addresses

• Missing details

• And, controversially, citizenship proof

This last aspect, never officially required in past revisions, is now under heavy scrutiny, with multiple districts in north Bihar reportedly conducting house-to-house verifications asking for citizenship documents.

Conclusion: Growing Alarm Over Voter Rights

As the political storm intensifies, the Congress’s comparison of the SIR to the NRC brings the matter into sharp national focus. Whether or not the Election Commission is indeed overstepping its mandate, the perception that voter suppression is under way could significantly affect public trust in India’s democratic institutions.

For now, the Election Commission faces a crucial test: Will it protect electoral integrity, or will it be seen as facilitating exclusion?

The Upcoming IPOs in this week and coming weeks are Monarch Surveyors & Engineering Consultants, TSC India, Swastika Castal, Savy Infra, NSDL.

The Current active IPO are Monika Alcobev.

Start your Stock Market Journey and Apply in IPO by Opening Free Demat Account in Choice Broking FinX.

Join our Trading with CA Abhay Telegram Channel for regular Stock Market Trading and Investment Calls by CA Abhay Varn - SEBI Registered Research Analyst.