Bihar's voter list revision needs trust for democracy

Bihar's Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls, aimed at updating voter lists, faces scrutiny and concerns about its impact on democratic trust. The Election Commission is conducting the revision, which includes house-to-house verification, months before the state's election, sparking unease among some political parties. The revision, legally backed by Article 324, seeks to include eligible voters and remove ineligible ones, with transparency as a key objective. The process involves extensive enumeration and documentation, with over 100,000 officials involved, and is a precursor to similar revisions nationwide. While the Election Commission emphasizes the legal basis and aims for transparency, the success of the revision hinges on public and political trust. The Bihar exercise is a test case, with potential implications for the integrity of electoral democracy across India.