Following its dismal performance in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, the Congress party has publicly raised questions regarding the integrity of the state’s electoral rolls, specifically highlighting a discrepancy in the total number of registered voters reported by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI, in turn, has responded swiftly and factually, clarifying that the increase of approximately three lakh electors is a standard procedural allowance governed by election laws.

The Congress’s Allegation of Discrepancy

The Congress party, a key partner in the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) which was routed in the polls, managed to secure only six seats. Hours after the results were declared, the party used social media to challenge the Election Commission, demanding clarity on the voter count.

The party pointed to two conflicting figures:

1. Initial Figure: A press note issued by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 6—when the election schedule was announced—put the total number of electors in Bihar at 7.42 crore.
2. Final Figure: The ECI’s press release issued after polling concluded mentioned the total number of electors as 7.45 crore.

The Congress stated that this difference of roughly three lakh electors needed to be explained, implicitly suggesting a lack of transparency or potential irregularity in the election process. This challenge comes amidst broader complaints from the opposition bloc, with leaders like Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal, alleging that the contest was “unfair from the very outset.”

ECI’s Clarification: The Legal Provision for Continuous Revision

The Election Commission issued a clarification on Saturday, stating that the increase was not only permissible but necessary to ensure that “no qualified voter was deprived of the opportunity to vote.”

The ECI’s explanation was grounded in established election rules:

1. Baseline Figure: The initial figure of 7.42 crore mentioned on October 6 was accurate for that date, as it was based on the data available after the final publication of the electoral roll on September 30, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
2. The Increase: The subsequent increase of three lakh voters resulted from applications that were legally allowed to be processed after the election schedule was announced. According to election rules, eligible citizens can apply for inclusion in the electoral roll up to 10 days before the last date of filing nominations for each phase of voting.
3. The Process: All valid applications received from October 1 (the day after the final roll publication) until the nomination deadlines were verified and processed. This inclusion of newly eligible voters brought the total count up to 7.45 crore, which was the revised figure mentioned in the post-polling press release.

This process ensures continuous voter registration, allowing those who become eligible (e.g., reaching 18 years of age or moving residence) after the final revision date but before the deadline set for the election period, to still cast their ballot.

Context of the Allegation

The Congress party’s formal questioning of the electoral rolls—a process traditionally overseen by the ECI with a high degree of transparency—is viewed by many as a reaction to the alliance’s significant electoral defeat.

The Bihar election saw a historic victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which secured 202 of the 243 seats. Key highlights of the result include:

• The BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 89 seats.
• The JD(U) securing 85 seats.
• The LJP (Ram Vilas) clinching a strong 19 seats.
• The opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD suffering a steep decline, winning only 25 seats.

The Congress, having won only six seats, is conducting a thorough analysis of its failure, with leaders stating that they will examine all available data, including voter lists and Form 17C, before presenting their findings. The ECI’s clarification serves as a direct counter to the party’s initial challenge, rooted in the procedural continuity of voter registration even after the formal commencement of the election cycle.