FazTimes Media, Patna | FazTimes Media — A major political controversy is brewing in Bihar as reports emerge that over 22.7 lakh women voters have been removed from the state’s official electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The large-scale deletion, which appears disproportionately higher than that of male voters, has sparked questions about transparency, fairness, and the possible electoral impact in a state where women have been pivotal to recent political outcomes.

According to The Tribune, Bihar currently has nearly 3.5 crore registered women voters. In comparison, there are 3.92 crore male voters in the state. However, while 15.5 lakh names were removed from the male voter list, the deletion of 22.7 lakh women’s names has created a notable gender gap—and one that has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.

A Gendered Discrepancy in Voter Deletions

Observers say the data reveal an unusual pattern. Despite women forming a slightly smaller share of the total voter base, their removal rate has been significantly higher.

As reported by BBC News, women's voter turnout in the state has consistently outpaced that of men since 2010. In fact, women’s participation was credited with swinging key constituencies in favor of the ruling BJP–JDU alliance in previous polls.

“It’s concerning to see this level of deletion concentrated among women voters,” said political analyst Dr. Ramesh Prasad. “Even a small percentage change in the women’s voter turnout can reshape Bihar’s electoral map. If these numbers hold, we’re looking at a significant demographic impact.”

Women at the Heart of Political Messaging

What makes the timing of these deletions more politically sensitive is the state government’s focus on women-centric welfare schemes in the run-up to the polls.

Just a day before the voter data controversy emerged, Nitish Kumar transferred ₹10,000 each to 25 lakh women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. The initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September, is part of a broader state-level campaign to create employment opportunities for women.

“The government is committed to ensuring women’s economic independence and dignity,” Nitish Kumar said during the launch, emphasizing that empowering women directly contributes to Bihar’s development.

Districts Hit Hardest by Deletions

The voter roll revisions have not affected all regions equally. According to official data, Gopalganj has seen the sharpest fall in women’s voter numbers, with a 15.1% decline, amounting to nearly 1.5 lakh names. Madhubani followed closely with 1.3 lakh deletions, while Purvi Champaran reported the removal of 1.1 lakh women voters, a 6.7% drop from the previous rolls.

Political observers say the changed voter dynamics in these constituencies could tilt the balance in several closely contested areas.

Election Commission Steps In

As reported by NDTV, the Commission’s visit will include meetings with state officials and local election officers to ensure the electoral rolls are updated fairly and transparently. Sources say the ECI is likely to seek detailed explanations from district-level officers about the unusually high rate of women voter deletions.

An ECI official, speaking anonymously to FazTimes Media, said, “Deletions are routine in every state as part of voter list purification, but the gender disparity in Bihar’s data certainly stands out. We will check if these deletions were due to migration, duplication, or deaths, or if there were administrative errors.

Opposition Raises Alarm

The opposition has been quick to react, alleging that the deletions are politically motivated. Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accused the state administration of trying to manipulate voter demographics ahead of the elections.

“Women have always stood by Nitish Kumar in large numbers, but now it seems even his government’s system is erasing their presence from democracy itself,” Yadav said during a press conference. “This is a serious matter of voter suppression and must be investigated thoroughly.”

According to Al Jazeera, similar allegations of “biased voter deletions” have surfaced in other Indian states ahead of key elections, where local administrations were accused of tampering with rolls to benefit ruling parties.

Government Defends the Process

In response to the controversy, officials from Bihar’s Election Department dismissed claims of political interference. They stated that deletions were part of a routine voter list revision aimed at removing duplicate, migrated, or deceased voters.

A senior official explained, “The process is entirely data-driven. Every district conducts field verification through Booth Level Officers (BLOs). We have nothing to hide, and if any genuine voters’ names have been deleted, they can reapply to be added back.”

Despite these assurances, opposition parties and several civic groups have demanded that the Election Commission conduct an independent audit of the voter rolls before the final lists are published.

What’s at Stake

Political analysts believe that the issue could have far-reaching consequences in Bihar’s closely contested political landscape. Women have been the most consistent voting bloc for Nitish Kumar, who introduced popular policies like reservation for women in Panchayats, cycles for schoolgirls, and liquor prohibition—initiatives that significantly enhanced his image among female voters.

“Women have been Nitish Kumar’s strongest political base for over a decade,” said journalist Kavita Singh, speaking. “If their participation is affected even slightly, it could shift several constituencies—especially in rural Bihar, where their turnout tends to be the highest.”

Our ”

Our primary goals at FazTimes Media are to be accurate and confident and adhere to the highest journalistic standards. We check every news story we share against several trustworthy and separate sources to ensure its accuracy.

We have reviewed this report, along with articles from major news outlets worldwide, including BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, NDTV, The Economic Times, and The Indian Express.

We want to keep the highest standards in global journalism so that our readers can trust the information they acquire.

Related Posts