What's The News?
Bihar is checking and correcting its voter list. This big work is called 'Special Intensive Revision', or SIR.
The Election Commission of India (the group that manages the elections in the country) is doing this task.
The last time Bihar checked its voter list like this was in 2003. That was over 20 years ago!
Some people are happy about this, while some people are worried. Let’s learn why this is happening.
What Is a Voter List?
A voter list (also called an electoral roll) is an official list of people who can vote in elections.
Elections are very important. They help people choose their leaders, like the Chief Minister or Prime Minister.
These leaders make big decisions for schools, roads, hospitals, and how our state or country is run.
In India, every person who is 18 years or older can vote.
The electoral roll helps make voting fair. It stops people who are not allowed to vote. It also stops someone from voting twice in the same election.
This is why the list must be checked regularly.
What Is Being Changed?
The government is doing three things:
Adding new names of people who just turned 18 years old, so that they can vote for the 1st time.
Removing the names of people who have died or left Bihar.
Correcting mistakes like wrong names or wrong addresses
People whose names were already on the list in 2003 just need to check their details.
But people added after 2003 must show papers like a birth certificate to confirm their details.
It is important to know that documents like Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and driving licenses are not accepted.
Why Is This Happening?
Since 2003, many people have moved out of Bihar, some may have died, and even some fake names have been added to the list.
Also, Bihar will have Assembly elections soon. That means people in Bihar will vote to choose their new Chief Minister.
The Election Commission wants a clean and correct voter list before voting starts.
Why Are Some People Worried?
Some poor families or workers may not have the right papers. This could get their names removed by mistake.
But the Election Commission said people can still fill the form now and show the papers later.
So there is no need to worry. We shall stay informed and help Bihar to vote properly!
