Election Commission Defends Bihar Voter Roll Increase as Rule-Based Additions

The commission says late Form 6 applications accepted up to ten days before nomination deadlines account for the extra three lakh electors.

Overview

Congress questioned why the electorate cited on October 6 was 7.42 crore while the post-poll figure rose to 7,45,26,858.
Poll officials said about three lakh names were added after the September 30 roll by processing valid applications received between October 1 and the phase cutoffs.
Under the rules, Form 6 submissions were allowed until ten days before nominations closed in each phase, with Phase 1 closing on October 17 and Phase 2 on October 20.
The rolls also noted 7,69,356 first-time voters, and NOTA received 9,10,710 votes, about 8.81% of the total polled.
The revision followed a Special Intensive Revision that removed roughly 47 lakh entries, and results later returned the NDA to power with BJP 89, JD(U) 85 and LJP(RV) 19 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan won 35.