More than 5.7 lakh voters in Bihar are enrolled at multiple places, the Election Commission said on Thursday amid the ongoing special intensive revision of the state’s electoral rolls.

The poll panel also said that 7.08 crore, or 89.7%, voters have submitted their enumeration forms so far.

More than 12.5 lakh voters have probably died and 17.3 lakh were likely to have permanently shifted, the Election Commission said. Over 35.6 lakh voters were not found at their addresses, it added.

The poll panel also said that 45.8 lakh, or 5.8%, electors have not submitted their forms so far.

The revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar was announced by the Election Commission on June 24.

As part of the exercise, persons whose names were not on the 2003 voter list will need to submit proof of eligibility to vote.

Voters born before July 1, 1987, must show proof of their date and place of birth, while those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must also submit documents establishing the date and place of birth of one of their parents. Those born after December 2, 2004, will need proof of date of birth for themselves and both parents.

If the officers are satisfied with the details provided, the voters will be re-enrolled to a new voter list by electoral registration officers. If not, they will be removed from the voter lists.

A draft roll will be published on August 1 and the final roll will be out on September 30. Bihar is expected to head for Assembly polls in October or November.

On July 2, eleven INDIA bloc parties told the Election Commission that the special intensive revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls risked disenfranchising more than 2.5 crore voters, as they may not be able to produce the necessary documents.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on July 6 defended the exercise, claiming that the exercise had to be carried out as no one was satisfied with the current voter rolls.

On July 10, the Supreme Court urged the Election Commission to consider Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards and ration cards as valid documents for the revision of electoral rolls. The court will hear the matter next on July 28.

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