New Delhi, Sep 30: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday published the much-awaited final voter list as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar.

During the enumeration phase of the SIR held from June 24 to July 25, more than 7.24 crore electors -- out of a total of 7.89 crore -- submitted their details. The draft rolls, however, showed about 65 lakh voters missing.

These 65 lakh missing voters include 22 lakh deceased (2.83 per cent), 36 lakh (4.59 per cent) who have permanently shifted or could not be traced, and seven lakh (0.89 per cent) found enrolled in more than one place, the ECI data revealed earlier.

Notably, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will visit Bihar on October 4 and 5 to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections.

The high-level visit will take place just a few days after the publication of the SIR-based final electoral roll in the state.

The current term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, making elections in the politically-significant state imminent.

According to officials, the Election Commission (EC) team will hold meetings with senior state officials to take stock of administrative, security, and logistical arrangements for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.

It is customary for the poll authority to visit a state to assess ground readiness before announcing the election schedule.

Speculation is rife that once the EC team returns to Delhi after its Bihar tour, the formal announcement of the Assembly elections could follow within days.

The SIR of the voter list, conducted in Bihar after more than two decades, triggered sharp criticism from Opposition parties.

They alleged that the exercise could disenfranchise crores of genuine voters.

The Commission, however, rejected these allegations, asserting that the revision exercise was aimed at ensuring greater accuracy.

Notably, based on past trends, the poll panel is expected to conduct the elections in three to four phases, though the exact number will depend on security and logistical considerations.

The challenge is compounded by the upcoming festival season, with Diwali and Chhath Puja scheduled during the same period, requiring careful planning to avoid disruption for voters.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, voting was held in three phases -- October 28, November 3, and November 7 -- with results declared on November 10.

The CEC's visit signals that the announcement of poll dates is imminent, likely in early October.

--IANS

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