In a fiery rebuttal to mounting political pressure, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar made a bold statement Thursday, declaring that "dead people and those who've permanently migrated cannot be allowed to cast votes." His comments come amid a controversial overhaul of Bihar’s electoral rolls that's sparked outrage from opposition leaders.

The Election Commission (EC) is currently conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's voter list, and early findings are raising eyebrows: over 52 lakh voters were found missing from their listed addresses, and another 18 lakh confirmed dead. The revelation has ignited a political firestorm, with opposition parties alleging the process will disenfranchise crores of eligible citizens.

But Kumar pushed back hard.

"Can the EC allow itself to be influenced into keeping the dead or the ineligible on the voters' list?" he asked pointedly. "Creating a clean, transparent voter roll is essential for free and fair elections — and for democracy itself."

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The CEC emphasized that voters who have migrated permanently or are registered in multiple constituencies must be weeded out to preserve the integrity of the electoral process — not just in Bihar, but nationwide.

To ensure fairness, the EC has outlined a public window from August 1 to September 1. During this period, any citizen or recognized political party can request corrections — either to add legitimate voters missed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) or remove ineligible names mistakenly included.

"This isn't about politics; it's about protecting the Constitution," Kumar stressed, calling for a national conversation that goes beyond party lines.

As Bihar’s voter list faces one of its biggest shakeups ever, the question remains: will this purge ensure cleaner elections.

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