All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has fiercely criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of surreptitiously implementing a National Register of Citizens (NRC)-style verification process in Bihar ahead of the state assembly elections. In a social media post, Owaisi warned that this move could effectively disenfranchise many Indian citizens, particularly vulnerable and impoverished communities, by removing them from the electoral rolls.

Officials had remained silent on the accusation as the Election Commission continues its roll revision exercise in Bihar. The ECI earlier confirmed efforts to update the voter list in compliance with Supreme Court-approved procedures—but denied any connection to the NRC.

Claim: Voter Roll Verification Morphing into NRC-Style Scrutiny

In his strongly-worded statement, Owaisi highlighted a critical new requirement: any voter seeking to add their name to electoral rolls will have to provide detailed proof of birthplace and birthdate—not only for themselves but also for both parents. He strongly argued that such policies echo the documentation-heavy process seen during NRC verification in Assam, which excluded more than 1.9 million names.

“Now every voter must prove their birth time, birthplace, and also that of their parents,” Owaisi posted on X.
“About 75% of births in India go unregistered. Among marginalised groups in flood-prone Seemanchal, who often survive on fewer than two meals a day, expecting accurate parental documents is a cruel joke,” he said.

He added that the election could see mass disenfranchisement, fueling suspicion that the ECI is using the Bihar electoral exercise to roll out an NRC-lite mechanism under the guise of routine voter verification.

Parental Document Mandate Sends Shockwaves Through Bihar

The core of the controversy lies in a rumored requirement demanding that voters born before July 1987 must produce at least one official document specifying their birth date and birthplace. Furthermore, they must also provide supporting documentation for their parents’ birth details, an earlier unheard-of stipulation.

Owaisi emphasized that these stipulations could severely impact Bihar’s poorest regions—especially Seemanchal, home to significant Muslim and Scheduled Caste populations who often lack formal documentation.

Supreme Court’s 1995 Warning on Such Requirements

Owaisi pointed to the Supreme Court ruling in 1995, which had strongly cautioned against arbitrary verification exercises that could exclude genuine voters from electoral rolls. He argued that repeating such checks now—especially before an election—risks undermining public trust in the electoral system.

He questioned why the Election Commission, so close to the polls, was implementing procedures that appear extreme and opaque.

“When assembly elections are around the corner, imposing such measures will erode public confidence in the Election Commission,” Owaisi said.

Political Implications: Risking Voter Trust Ahead of Bihar Elections

Bihar is entering a crucial electoral phase, and Owaisi’s allegations are fueling political tensions. Opposition parties like RJD and Congress have since echoed his concerns, accusing the ECI of politicizing the voter verification process and seeking to target minorities and economically disadvantaged communities through bureaucratic exclusion.

While the BJP–JD(U) coalition defends the process, insisting it maintains electoral integrity, political analysts warn that even the perception of voter disenfranchisement can depress voter turnout and sow distrust among communities.

Election Commission’s Response So Far

The ECI has maintained that no NRC-like procedure is being implemented. In a recent statement, a top official clarified:

“Roll revision is part of our standard protocol to ensure outdated or duplicate entries are removed from electoral rolls. We are fully committed to upholding inclusive and inclusive elections, and there is no hidden agenda.”

They reiterated adherence to Supreme Court–approved guidelines on citizen verification and encouraged voters to verify their entries online and through helplines.

Ground Realities: The Documentation Dilemma

Bihar, particularly its most underdeveloped districts, struggles with low birth registration rates and poor record-keeping. Studies reveal that over 60% of rural births lack official documentation, and even urban households often fail to retain old records.

The Seemanchal region—which borders Nepal and Bangladesh and is frequently hit by floods—faces acute socio-economic adversity. Many households don‘t even have proof of residence, and long-lost documents often cannot be retrieved during chaotic circumstances.

Documents like birth certificates or school records may not exist, or may have been destroyed. Owaisi’s critics say that implementing strict document verification without supporting infrastructure will push millions out.

Legal and Civil Society Backlash

Civil rights groups and legal experts have joined Owaisi in expressing alarm. The Bihar Civil Liberties Committee issued an urgent release citing Owaisi’s fears and calling on the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to clarify whether the ECI has introduced any new rules.

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan said:

“Requiring citizens to produce parent-level documents before polling amounts to disenfranchisement, and violates election law precedent,”

Prompting some legal experts to consider filing public interest litigations (PILs) should the issue escalate.

ECI Promotes Voter Facilitation Measures

In response to concerns, the ECI has emphasized its various voter-friendly initiatives:

• Online voter search via Form 6, 7, 8

• Free issuance of photo voter ID cards

• Booth-level services for grievance redressal

• Complaint helplines for missing or incorrect inclusion

The body assures that no registered voter will be removed unless due process under law is followed—maintaining oversight from the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO) and District Election Officer (DEO).

Bihar Elections on the Horizon: Stakes Rising

The Bihar assembly elections, slated for late 2025, are already witnessing a rising tension over electoral credibility and inclusion. The ECI lock-in on documentation is triggering fears that poor and marginalized communities may be mathematically excluded from voting.

Political watchers believe that if the ECI does not clarify or roll back such rules soon, the controversy could dominate headlines and influence voter perceptions, especially among minority-dominated constituencies.

As the debate heats up, Asaduddin Owaisi’s intervention has injected urgency into the conversation around voter rights and electoral fairness. The potential requirement of documenting birth and parental information puts millions of rural Biharis in a precarious position—risking their voting rights, and shaking confidence in the Election Commission’s neutrality.

If such documentation is made mandatory, it could force civil society to take legal recourse and engage in nationwide campaigns calling for equitable electoral access.

dimgrey-bison-994082.hostingersite.com will continue to monitor this developing story, with special focus on statements from the ECI, reactions from political parties, and steps taken by civil society to ensure that Bihar’s assembly election remains fair, free, and inclusive.