EC: Sharp divide over SIR created interest in polls, boosted turnout

NEW DELHI: The net deletion of around 47 lakh electors from Bihar's rolls during the special intensive revision (SIR) and the consequent shrinking of the state's voter base to 7.4 crore is among factors that may have pushed up Phase 1 polling percentage to record levels, EC officials said.Officers attribute the rise partly to better voter connect achieved through house-to-house visits by booth level officers (BLOs) and parties' booth level agents (BLAs) to distribute and collect forms. Opposition protests against SIR, including Rahul Gandhi's 'voter adhikaar' yatra, also ensured the Bihar poll campaign began early. "The sharp divisions over SIR created a high level of contestation, generating public interest and encouraging electors to vote," said an officer.Interestingly, the difference between Bihar's Phase 1 turnout and its 2024 Lok Sabha turnout-8.4 percentage points-nearly matches the 8.7% deletions from the June 2025 roll that listed 7.9 crore electors.Officials said it's hard to assess how much SIR deletions contributed to higher turnout. "SIR eliminated bogus entries - of dead, shifted or ineligible - which earlier enabled impersonation," said an EC officer.They added that EC's resolve in conducting SIR exercise amid criticism, and high media scrutiny motivated voters to turn up in large numbers.