Bihar’s migrant workers face voter exclusion amid flawed revision drive, finds new report

By A Representative 

A new report by the Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN) has raised serious concerns about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The report warns that a lack of access to documents and information may lead to the disenfranchisement of a large number of migrant workers from the state.

Titled "For a Few Documents More: A Survey of Migrant Workers from Bihar on the SIR," the report is co-authored by Anindita Adhikari, Faculty at National Law School of India University, Bangalore; Rajendran Narayanan, Faculty at Azim Premji University, Bangalore; and Ayush Patel, an independent researcher. It is based on a phone survey conducted by 29 student volunteers on July 19–21, targeting workers SWAN had previously assisted during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Out of 1,411 attempted calls, the survey was successfully completed with 338 workers, most of whom are currently living outside Bihar. While not statistically representative, the authors stress that the findings highlight structural challenges facing migrants—especially those whose movement away from home places them at a disadvantage in documentation exercises like the SIR.

Key Findings from the Report:

- Widespread Lack of Awareness: Of 219 respondents, 68% did not know what documents were required for the SIR.

- Online Access Virtually Absent: Among the 248 respondents living outside Bihar, 75% had not even heard of the online portal for submitting the SIR enumeration form. Only two individuals—less than 1%—had submitted the form online.

- Inadequate Field Outreach: Of 333 respondents, only 53% reported a visit by an official to their home in Bihar. Another 23% said no official had visited, while 24% were unsure.

- Documentation Deficits: Nearly 35% of surveyed workers lacked any of the 11 documents mandated under the SIR, although 96% had Aadhaar cards and 84% had voter IDs. Around 69% had PAN cards, and 64% had ration cards.

- Young Voters at Risk: Among respondents who turned 18 after 2003—those required by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to furnish documentary proof of eligibility—one in three did not possess any of the accepted SIR documents, despite 81% having voter ID cards.

The survey found that the majority of respondents earn less than ₹17,000 per month. Respondents were predominantly male (95%) with an average age of 34. The religious and caste distribution of the sample closely mirrors that of Bihar’s population as per official data, lending contextual credibility to the findings.

According to the authors, the SIR process appears to have been rushed, poorly communicated, and out of reach for mobile and economically vulnerable populations. In some cases, local officials collected forms from homes in the absence of migrant workers, raising further questions about procedural validity.

"Contrary to official claims, the majority have not heard of the online system," said Anindita Adhikari. "This creates a high risk that people who have been living and working away from their home state for years may lose their voting rights."

Rajendran Narayanan emphasized the deeper democratic concern: "The SIR exercise, as it currently stands, has the potential to disenfranchise millions. It should be revoked without delay."

The report also documents testimonies from migrant workers and includes a timeline of the SIR process. It comes as the Supreme Court is hearing several petitions challenging the legitimacy and execution of the revision process.

SWAN, which emerged as a volunteer network during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, has previously published reports and facilitated relief efforts for thousands of stranded and jobless migrant workers. This latest intervention continues its efforts to foreground the voices and rights of India’s vast and often overlooked migrant workforce.