The groups of different people in Bihar organized a day -long public hearing on Monday (July 21, 2025) to study the current SIR (special intensive overhaul) in the state. The panel concluded that the SIR had to be canceled, not changed.
Bharat Jodo ABHIYAN, Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Samar Charitable Trust, Swaraj Abhiyan and Kosi Navnirman Manch Organized jointly organized the Jan Sunwai At Bihar Industries Association (BIA)
The panel consisted of Anjana Prakash (former right, Patna High Court); Wajahat Habibullah (former main information commissioner); Economist Jean Drèze; Professor Nandini Sundar, sociologist at the Delhi School of Economics; Dr. DM Diwakar, former director of Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna; and Bhanwar Meghwanshi founder of Forward Press.
The illiterate struggled
People from 14 districts participated and share their experiences with the panel. Ilisitute Voters reported that they had to pay someone £ 100 to fill in the form.
Kanchan Devi of the Katihar district said she paid £ 100 to fulfill her form. Rukma Devi from the same district had a similar complaint.
Ram Chandra Prasad, from Nalanda, said he will challenge the trial before the court because he received no recognition after submitting the form to the stand -off officer (BLO).
Phool Kumari Devi, a worker from Katihar, said that the Blo asked her to get photocopies from the Aadhar and votes that caused her many problems.
“I traveled 4 km to get the passport photo. I had no money, which forced me to sell my ration rice. I didn't work for two days to collect all the documents. When I had not left any rice, I went hungry for two days,” said Mrs. Devi.
Forms submitted without permission
In several cases, the voters discovered that their forms had already been submitted by the Blo. Even their signatures on the forms were not taken.
A resident of Patna, Nirmal Kumar claimed that his family members received threats from the district administration when they protested about their forms that had already been filled in and submitted online.
Many said that summary forms were not distributed by Blos, but by district council members, Anganwadi employees and sanitary staff. Many voters did not receive any instructions on filling in the form. In many households, a few members did not take the form and others.
People from the Kosi region said their document was washed away by several floods in their region.
SIR's purpose is not clear
After listening to the participants, Mr Drèze said that the purpose of the SIR is unclear, even after reading the election committee of India's (ECI) 20 pages.
“The goal is not clear, but the result is clear, people would not be able to do their exercise franchise. According to Bharat Jodo Abhiyan's investigation, 37% people do not have the documents sought by the committee. You all understand which community, class and supporters of political parties will be removed from the voter list,” Mr. Dr. said
He further said that SIR is not practical and impossible, so it should not be changed but canceled.
“The SIR should not be changed but can be canceled. Drèze said.
Documents difficult to obtain
Mrs. Prakash said that the documents looking for the ECI are impossible for many national Biharis.
Mr. Habibullah emphasized that the work of ECI is to encourage people to vote and create a situation that helps voters, but the SIR seems that the level body creates problems for voters and makes their path difficult.
On the other hand, Mr. Meghwansi said that the SIR process is a threat to the preamble of the Constitution and political equality.
Professor Diwakar said that democracy today is none of the people, neither for the people, nor by the people and everyone must strive to win it back.
Expressing fear, Mrs. Sunder said the SIR is a danger to democracy and she hoped that the voice of the people would be heard.
Published – July 22, 2025 04:00 am Ist
