Bihar Elections: Political Groups Boost Surveillance of Election Commission Actions Through Booth Level Agents
In preparation for the upcoming 2025 Assembly elections in Bihar, the number of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) has significantly increased. This surge is primarily due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, aimed at ensuring fair and accurate voter lists amid controversy during the revision process.
Between late June and early July 2025, the total number of BLAs in Bihar rose by about 13-16%, from approximately 138,680 to between 156,625 and 161,000. The opposition INDIA bloc (RJD, Congress, Left) increased their BLAs by roughly 17.5%, while the ruling NDA (BJP, JD(U)) saw a smaller increase of about 10.8%, although NDA still has more BLAs overall.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has implemented large-scale electoral roll preparation changes, including capping voters at 1,200 per booth to reduce queues, raising the number of polling stations from about 77,895 to over 90,000, and increasing Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and volunteers significantly. In alignment, all 12 recognized political parties increased their BLAs from 138,680 to about 160,813 to actively participate in verification and objections processes during the revision.
The RJD, in alliance with the Congress in Bihar, has accordingly divided their Booth Level Agent (BLA) duties. The Rashtriya Janata Dal has increased its number of BLAs by 1%, going from 47,143 to 47,506. On the other hand, the Congress party in Bihar has more than doubled its number of BLAs, increasing from 8,586 to 17,549. The Bahujan Samaj Party has increased its BLA count from 26 to 74, representing a 185% increase. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has increased its BLA count from 76 to 899, representing a 1083% increase. The National People's Party has appointed 7 BLAs in Bihar, while the Aam Aadmi Party has only appointed one BLA in the state.
The increase in BLAs is aimed at keeping close watch on BLO activities and ensuring transparency in voter additions/deletions amid concerns of wrongful entries. Political parties aim to mobilize grassroots presence to protect their electoral interests during roll revision. The ECI’s expansion in polling booths and voter capping necessitates more BLAs for effective oversight.
The expanded BLA network assists in widespread monitoring to prevent errors like wrongful deletions or additions in the voter list. It facilitates efficient claims and objections handling as BLAs liaise between voters, BLOs, and political parties. This helps ensure the integrity and accuracy of the electoral roll before the draft publication (August 1) and finalization. Political participation at the booth level is enhanced, increasing electoral transparency and possibly voter confidence.
The Opposition parties in Bihar have nearly doubled the number of BLAs, with the highest increase seen in the Congress, Left, and Bahujan Samaj Party compared to the BJP and RJD. Compared to the significant increase by Opposition parties, the BJP has only marginally increased its number of BLAs from 51,964 to 53,338.
Approximately 35 lakh electors have either permanently migrated or could not be traced in Bihar. The ECI has reported that approximately 22 lakh deceased electors have been identified in Bihar, and about 7 lakh electors were found registered in more than one location. The first draft electoral roll will be published in Bihar on August 1, and the digitization of forms, along with BLO reports, of the remaining electors will also be completed by this date. The first draft electoral roll in Bihar will be published on August 1, and the digitization of forms, along with BLO reports, of the remaining electors will also be completed by this date.
- Amidst the surge in Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in Bihar, driven by policy changes and preparations for the 2025 Assembly elections, war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice news may take a backseat in the general-news landscape, as politics, policy-and-legislation, and electoral activities dominate headlines.
- As the Election Commission of India (ECI) expands polling booths and voter capping necessitates a larger Booth Level Agent (BLA) network, it's crucial for media outlets to provide timely and accurate reporting on these matters to facilitate informed political participation, minimizing any potential confusion in crime-and-justice, war-and-conflicts, or general-news domains.
