Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 31: Nearly 7 crore voters in Bihar are set to receive new Voter ID cards with updated photographs, ahead of the Assembly elections, election officials confirmed on Sunday. The new Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) will retain the original EPIC number, although some voters may see changes in their polling booth details due to an increase in the total number of booths across the state.
This development coincides with the expected release of the final electoral rolls on Monday, marking a key phase of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. During the data collection drive between June 24 and July 25, more than 7.24 crore of the state’s 7.89 crore eligible electors submitted their information.
However, the draft list revealed that about 65 lakh voters were missing. According to election office sources, the number of missing entries in the final list may exceed this figure.
Amid public scrutiny, the Election Commission of India (ECI) responded to recent media allegations of large-scale voter duplication, dismissing them as premature and misleading. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar clarified that the draft rolls are provisional and designed for public verification and correction.
The ECI stated that the claim of 67,826 "dubious duplicates" was based on “subjective data-mining” of names, ages, and family members — parameters that alone cannot establish duplication without field verification.
To further streamline the electoral process, the ECI has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that voters receive their EPICs within 15 days of any update in the electoral rolls. The initiative, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, aims to reduce delays and improve transparency.
The new system enables digital tracking of the EPIC issuance process — from generation by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to delivery at the voter’s doorstep. Voters will also receive real-time SMS notifications at every stage.
These reforms are part of broader efforts by the ECI to make electoral services more citizen-friendly, transparent, and efficient ahead of the crucial Bihar polls.