Sun Jul 06 07:41:10 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided information and a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
Amidst growing opposition concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has announced that voters can now be verified even without providing mandatory documents. This decision, a first of its kind, comes after criticism from opposition parties who deemed the initial document requirements impractical. While the CEO encourages voters to submit available documentation along with their enumeration forms, they have clarified that the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) can make decisions based on local investigation or other evidence if required documents are unavailable. The INDIA bloc leaders had met with the Bihar CEO demanding recognition of Aadhar card, ration card and MGNREGA card to add in the list of key documents for the verification and revision of the voter list. The Commission holding regular dialogue with parties. The CEO has appealed to all eligible voters to participate in the SIR through online and offline channels to ensure that no one is left out. As of July 5th, over a crore enumeration forms had been collected.
**News Article:**
**Bihar Eases Voter Verification Rules Amid Opposition Uproar**
**PATNA, July 6, 2025** – In a significant move addressing concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Bihar Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has announced that voters can now be verified even without submitting all mandatory documents. This announcement follows mounting criticism from opposition parties, who labeled the initial document requirements as impractical and potentially disenfranchising for many citizens.
In a public advertisement published Sunday, the Election Commission (EC) stated that while providing the required documents would streamline the verification process, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) now have the authority to make decisions based on local investigations or alternative documentary evidence if voters are unable to furnish the full list.
While encouraging voters to provide documentation when possible, officials clarified that only 11 specific documents are accepted, including birth certificates, passports, education certificates, permanent residence, forest rights, and caste certificates, the family register prepared by State and local authorities, land or house allotment certificates issued by the government, as well as documents issued to government employees or pensioners, and other documents issued by a range of public authorities before 1967. Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, MGNREGA job cards, voter identity cards, driving licences, and bank passbooks will not be acceptable for the SIR process.
A source within the CEO’s office emphasized that these existing 11 documents remain valid.
The decision comes after INDIA bloc leaders met with Bihar CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, on Friday, expressing strong objections to the SIR process, deeming it “impractical and anti-democratic.” The delegation had requested that Aadhar card, ration card and MGNREGA card to add in the list of key documents for the verification and revision of the voter list.The Commission holding regular dialogue with parties
As of Saturday evening, over 1.12 crore enumeration forms had been collected in Bihar, representing approximately 14% of potential voters. Mr. Gunjiyal has urged all eligible Bihar residents to actively participate in the SIR through both online and offline channels.
The revised approach seeks to ensure inclusivity and prevent the disenfranchisement of eligible voters during the ongoing electoral roll revision process, ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections.
First Piper 