Political strategist and Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor has raised serious questions about the Election Commission’s decision to revise the voter list in Bihar just a year after it was prepared for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to ANI in Sitamarhi, Kishor demanded transparency and accountability. His comments have sparked a fresh debate over voter list integrity ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Kishor didn’t hold back. ‘Just a year ago, the Lok Sabha elections were held. The Election Commission itself prepared the voter list. The Prime Minister’s election took place. What has happened in one year that the entire list needs revision?’ he asked. His skepticism was palpable.
The timing of this revision has raised eyebrows. Kishor pointed out that since the NDA has been in power in Bihar for the past year, any claim of infiltrators being present in the state would be an admission of failure by their own government. ‘Our demand is simple. Use the same list from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Amendments can be made if needed,’ he asserted.
He also challenged the Election Commission’s authority, citing Article 326. ‘Article 326 gives every eligible Indian citizen above eighteen the fundamental right to vote. The Election Commission cannot deprive anyone by trapping them in bureaucratic documents,’ Kishor stated firmly.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India remains steadfast. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasized their commitment to voters, stating, ‘The Election Commission of India was, is and will always be with the electors of India.’ The ECI has collected 57.48 per cent of enumeration forms in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision.
The push for what the ECI calls ‘pure electoral rolls’ continues. With around 4.5 crore forms already collected from 7.9 crore voters, the revision process is moving quickly. Over 83,000 forms were gathered in just the last 24 hours. The commission aims to complete this exercise by July 25.
As the political temperature rises, Kishor’s questions remain unanswered. The debate over voter list revisions, citizenship checks, and electoral fairness isn’t going away anytime soon. With Bihar’s assembly elections on the horizon, all eyes are on how this controversy unfolds.
The Election Commission’s stance is clear. They believe in upholding democracy through accurate voter rolls. But critics like Kishor argue that unnecessary revisions risk disenfranchising legitimate voters. The coming weeks will reveal whose argument holds more weight.
