On 13 August, congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi met a group of seven voters from Bihar who had been marked as “dead” and removed from the state’s electoral rolls during the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Gandhi shared the unusual encounter on X, stating, “I have had many interesting experiences in life, but never got the chance to have tea with ‘dead people’. Thank you, Election Commission, for this unique experience.”
Meeting With ‘Dead’ Voters
The seven voters, including Ramikbal Ray, Harendra Ray, Lalmuni Devi, Vachiya Devi, Lalwati Devi, Punam Kumari, and Munna Kumar, travelled from Raghopur constituency to Delhi as the Supreme Court reviewed petitions challenging the SIR process.
In a four-minute video shared by Gandhi, he is seen engaging with the group, asking how they discovered they had been removed.
They revealed that the exclusion became evident only after the draft voter lists were published. One voter highlighted that in a single panchayat, at least 50 others were similarly affected.
An 85-year-old woman, also declared “dead” by the EC, was present. The group said they had presented official documents including Aadhaar and bank passbooks, yet their names were still deleted. Gandhi reassured them that he would continue to fight against what he described as “vote chori” or vote theft.
Allegations of Political Disenfranchisement
The Congress party described the incident as more than clerical errors, terming it “political disenfranchisement in plain sight.” Party representatives said the seven voters represent just a small fraction of those affected in two to three polling booths in Raghopur.
During the meeting, voters explained that despite completing all re-verification procedures, the EC had removed names of 6.5 million people statewide, including 2.2 million marked as deceased. Gandhi accused the EC of failing to provide transparency and warned that the exercise could set a troubling precedent ahead of upcoming elections in Bihar, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh.
EC and BJP Response
The Election Commission rejected Gandhi’s allegations and requested supporting evidence, including a signed affidavit. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party criticised Gandhi for undermining a constitutional body.
Home Minister Amit Shah mocked the opposition, suggesting that Congress was preparing excuses for potential electoral losses.
Worldwide Context
India’s voter roll revisions are a critical part of electoral integrity, and the SIR in Bihar has sparked national debate.
The case underscores concerns over voter disenfranchisement, transparency, and potential political manipulation—issues that resonate in democracies worldwide.
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