Assam: Viral claims of photos of cats and dogs allegedly appearing on the voter list in Bihar have alerted the Election Commission. Following this, the Commission has issued strict instructions to the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam to immediately identify all entries containing “non-human photos,” “black and white images,” “wrong size photos,” and “no image” in the voter list. The Commission has clearly stated that such cases should be identified through software-based reporting and that no discrepancies should remain in the list. This step is considered significant because claims of animal photos in Bihar’s voter list spread rapidly on social media, raising questions about the reliability of the voter registration system.
BLO empowered to change photos, Form-8 mandatory
The EC has directed that entries found to contain incorrect or suspicious photos should be sent to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for field verification. The BLO will have the voter fill out Form-8 and obtain a new photo, which must meet the Commission’s specifications. The Commission has also clarified that the BLO can take and upload a new voter’s photograph, eliminating the possibility of fraudulent entries. The Election Commission wants every district to maintain a complete record of the removal of incorrect photographs so that action can be taken on any disputes or complaints in the future. Furthermore, instructions have been given to completely remove potential duplicate entries, incorrect addresses, and logical errors from the voter list before the draft is published.
Clarity on ‘Notional House Numbers’, Efforts to Ease Identification
The Commission has also clarified that the notional house number in the voter list will not affect the legal status of a house. Its purpose is simply to ensure that all voters from the same house are listed at the same polling station. BLOs have also been instructed to include a nearby landmark along with the notional house number to facilitate identification. This instruction is also important because of the recent complaints of address-related errors in the voter list. According to the EC, the credibility of the voter list will be strengthened only when addresses, photographs, and other details are standardized.
Special Revision Process for 2026 Begins in Assam; Why SR Instead of SIR?
Amidst the controversy surrounding Bihar on social media, the Election Commission in Assam also initiated the Special Revision (SR) process on November 17. The final voter list will be published on February 10, 2026, with January 1, 2026 as the qualifying date. According to officials, this “Special Revision” is an upgraded process of the Special Summary Revision, as this time, BLOs will verify voters using pre-filled registers, rather than the old enumeration forms. A senior official explained that the citizenship verification process in Assam is in its final stages under Supreme Court supervision, so SR is being conducted instead of Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Commission believes that SR is appropriate for the current circumstances and will make the voter list more accurate, clean, and controversy-free.
