Bihar Assembly Election 2025: Dates Announced and Controversy Over Aadhaar-Based Voter Registration Explained

New Delhi:

The Election Commission announced the Bihar Assembly election schedule on Monday, with voting set for November 6 and 11, followed by vote counting on November 14.

During a comprehensive press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addressed inquiries regarding Aadhaar usage for voter registration, particularly concerning the special intensive revision of Bihar's electoral roll—a controversial initiative criticized by opposition parties as 'disenfranchising lakhs of people' but upheld by the court.

When NDTV questioned Kumar about the number of voters added based on Aadhaar, following the Supreme Court's directive to accept this government ID, Kumar confirmed the court's instruction but emphasized important limitations.

"The Supreme Court stated Aadhaar can serve as an identity document, but Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act clearly specifies it is neither proof of citizenship nor domicile. Previous judgments have also clarified that Aadhaar does not constitute valid proof of date of birth. It merely serves as identity proof," Kumar explained.

While the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that Aadhaar could be utilized for voter re-verification, it acknowledged the Election Commission's previous concern about potential forgery. The court specified that election officials could "verify the genuineness of the card" and that Aadhaar could not establish citizenship.

Kumar assured that Bihar's voter revision exercise—with the final list published last week—was conducted transparently, ensuring accuracy and fairness in the electoral rolls. Regarding political party concerns, he noted that while some initially expressed apprehensions, most supported the Commission's efforts once the process became clearer.

The 2025 Bihar election will see competition between the ruling BJP and JDU-led alliance against the Mahagathbandhan coalition led by Congress and RJD.

Notably, Prashant Kishor—the strategist behind Nitish Kumar's and Mamata Banerjee's electoral successes—will make his electoral debut with his Jan Suraaj party, contesting all 243 assembly seats.