ECI Uploads 2003 Bihar Electoral Roll, Easing Document Requirements for Nearly 5 Crore Voters
ECI Uploads 2003 Bihar Electoral Roll, Easing Document Requirements for Nearly 5 Crore Voters
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has uploaded the 2003 Electoral Roll for Bihar on its official website — https://voters.eci.gov.in. This roll contains the details of 4.96 crore electors and is expected to significantly ease the process of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.
As per ECI instructions dated June 24, 2025, Chief Electoral Officers (CEO), District Electoral Officers (DEO), and Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) have been directed to make the 2003 Electoral Roll — with the qualifying date of January 1, 2003 — freely available to all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in both hard copy and digital formats. This will enable electors to download and use it as valid documentary proof while submitting their Enumeration Form.
The availability of this roll means that nearly 60% of Bihar’s electorate will not be required to submit any additional documents. Voters simply need to verify their details from the 2003 Electoral Roll and submit the duly filled Enumeration Form. This streamlined access is expected to benefit both electors and BLOs by speeding up the revision process.
Additionally, individuals whose names do not appear in the 2003 roll can still use extracts from it to prove the identity of their parents. In such cases, no other document for the parent will be needed. The applicant would only need to submit relevant documents for themselves along with the Enumeration Form.
The ECI reiterated that revising the electoral roll before every election is mandatory under Section 21(2)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Rule 25 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The Commission has been conducting such annual revisions—both intensive and summary—for the past 75 years.
This process is essential as the electoral roll is dynamic, constantly changing due to deaths, migration, marriage, changes in occupation, and the addition of new voters turning 18.
Furthermore, as per Article 326 of the Indian Constitution, only Indian citizens who are at least 18 years old and ordinary residents of a constituency are eligible to be registered as voters.
