New Delhi, July 09. The scrutiny of voter lists is underway ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. This has raised concerns, with opposition parties alleging that millions of voters could be deprived of their voting rights. Before this controversy settles, reports suggest that the Special Summary Revision (SSR) process—the Bihar model—will be implemented nationwide.
According to sources in the Election Commission, there are plans to roll out SSR across the country in a phased manner. The process has been initiated under Paragraph 10 of the Commission’s order, which states that after Bihar, other states will be included at an appropriate time.
The process began in Bihar because elections were held there earlier, but now the Commission is focusing on other states. These include upcoming electoral states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.
Election Commission sources indicate that it has not yet been decided whether SSR will be implemented nationwide at once or in phases as elections approach. A decision will be made in due course.
The Chief Election Commissioner recently stated that ‘clean voter lists’ are essential for strengthening democracy. This statement reflects the intent behind the SSR process, which aims to remove fake and duplicate names from voter lists to ensure transparency in elections.
However, this decision could pose a new challenge for opposition parties. After SSR was implemented in Bihar, the RJD and other opposition parties called it a conspiracy to remove voters’ names. A Bihar shutdown was called in protest on Wednesday.
An RJD MP recently accused the Election Commission of working under political pressure, to which the Commission responded by calling the claims misleading.
The opposition argues that the SSR process could be misused to benefit the ruling party, especially in states where assembly elections are due in 2026 or earlier. The Election Commission has clarified that SSR aims to ensure the accuracy of voter lists, not harm any political party.
Under the process, Block Level Officers (BLOs) conduct door-to-door verification of voters and confirm registrations based on documents. The Commission now intends to implement this system in other states to purify voter lists.
Analysts believe this move strengthens democracy, but ensuring transparency and fairness in implementation will be crucial. Opposition parties have demanded public reports on SSR progress and local public hearings.
