Explained | From citizenship-check fears to wider voter inclusion: How EC course-corrected on Bihar SIR

When the Election Commission (EC) ordered a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls in June, breaking from precedent by requiring voters to produce one of 11 documents to prove eligibility, the move drew criticism and challenges in court for resembling a citizenship check. But three months later, the exercise that ended Tuesday looked very different, altered by Supreme Court interventions as well as feedback from the field.

At the outset, the Commission made inclusion conditional on documentary proof. But Aadhaar, ration cards, and even its own Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) — which would have ensured maximum coverage and inclusion — were excluded. Interestingly, EPIC was accepted in the last Special Intensive Revision of 2003, as The Indian Express first report