The total number of electors in poll-bound Bihar have come down by nearly 47 lakh to 7.42 crore in the final electoral roll published on Tuesday from 7.89 crore before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list carried out by the Election Commission.The final figure has, however, increased by 17.87 lakh from 7.24 crore electors named in the draft list issued on August 1, which had removed 65 lakh voters from the original list on various accounts, including deaths, migration and duplication of voters.
While 21.53 lakh new electors have been added to the draft list, 3.66 lakh names have been removed from there, resulting in a net increase of 17.87 lakh.
The final figure may change marginally after supplementary lists are published during the poll process.The EC’s exercise has drawn sharp protests from the Opposition, which has accused the poll watchdog of working at the behest of the ruling BJP, a charge it has flatly rejected.
The Commission has asserted that it will not allow any eligible citizen to be left out of the voter list and at the same time, not let any ineligible person be on the list.
The assembly election schedule is likely to be announced by the EC next week and the polls are expected to be held soon after Chhath, an important festival in Bihar that would be celebrated in the last week of October.
As of June 24 this year, when the SIR orders were issued by the poll authority, the state had 7.89 crore electors