Guwahati: The Congress party has raised serious questions over the fairness of Bihar’s recent election results, alleging that large-scale voter deletions helped the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secure its sweeping win. According to the party, the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists — introduced to identify illegal immigrants — was misused to strike off legitimate voters.
Congress leaders claim that over 6.5 million names were removed from the electoral rolls, many belonging to the poor, minorities, and socially disadvantaged groups. They argue that these deletions directly influenced the outcome, as 128 out of the 202 seats won by the NDA reportedly saw the highest number of voter removals.
The Kerala unit of the Congress shared a detailed analysis suggesting that the SIR exercise failed to identify a single illegal immigrant, yet resulted in mass disenfranchisement. The party described the process as a “wholesale purge” of genuine, living voters, turning the democratic process into what it alleges was a “rigged electoral exercise.”
Congress leaders further warn that such actions set a dangerous precedent, where voter lists could be selectively pruned to favour ruling parties in future elections.
However, the NDA has dismissed these allegations outright. Union Minister Chirag Paswan stated that the opposition is simply unable to accept the people’s verdict. He maintained that the NDA’s victory reflects strong public support and not electoral manipulation.
The dispute has sparked a nationwide debate on voter rights, transparency in the revision of electoral rolls, and the broader health of India’s democratic institutions. With pressure building, all eyes are now on the Election Commission’s response — and whether a formal review may follow.