Bihar electoral roll revision: EC ropes in Pankaj Tripathi, Panchayat cast to boost new registrations

The poll body shared an image of actors Durgesh Kumar and Sunita Rajwa, portraying their characters "Banrakas" and "Kranti Devi", respectively. (Image: X)

Ahead of the Assembly polls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is taking every step possible to raise awareness about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar.

The poll body has now roped in Pankaj Tripathi and shared an image of actors Durgesh Kumar and Sunita Rajwa, portraying their characters “Banrakas" and “Kranti Devi", respectively from the famous web series “Panchayat", to encourage new registrations amid the political and legal storm over the decision..

In the image of the Panchayat series characters, both the actors are seen standing and asking, “Banrakas aur Kranti Devi ne toh apna prapatra bhar diya, kya aapne bhara? (Banrakas and Kranti Devi have filled their enumeration forms, have you?)"

बनराकस और क्रांति देवी ने भरा अपना गणना प्रपत्र, क्या आपने भरा?#SIR2025#BiharElection#Election2025pic.twitter.com/jUVzSaAhkc

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) July 7, 2025

Meanwhile in a video clip, Pankaj Tripathi can be heard saying, "We can’t stop people from thinking, but yes, we can definitely try to change their minds."

🗳️ वोट करना है, तो फॉर्म भरना है 📝 ✅ बिहार विशेष गहन पुनरीक्षण, 2025 👉अब सिर्फ़ 11 दस्तावेज़ों में से कोई भी 1 संलग्न करें। 👉 गणना प्रपत्र भरकर मतदाता सूची में शामिल हों। 📲 QR कोड स्कैन करें और फ़ॉर्म ऑनलाइन भरें#Bihar_SIR#ECI@ECISVEEP@CEOBihar@TripathiiPankajpic.twitter.com/VnvgnaaT3j — PIB in Bihar (@PIB_Patna) July 6, 2025

The Election Commission’s decision to initiate a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral roll in the run-up to the assembly elections later this year has triggered major political controversy.

While the commission maintains that the revision is intended to enhance transparency and remove ineligible entries from the voter list, opposition parties have raised concerns, claiming that the move may lead to the exclusion of legitimate voters.

Amid a row, the poll panel said in a statement, “The initial phase of SIR, during which Enumeration forms were to be printed and distributed, is almost complete with the forms having been made available to all the electors who were available."

Meanwhile, the SIR is being implemented smoothly at the ground level with the active cooperation of the electors, the ECI said, according to a News18 report.

The EC added that all voters are directly made aware through more than 77,000 BLOs and 4 Lakh volunteers as well as 1.5 lakh BLAs appointed by all political parties.

“In accordance with Article 326, the orders of SIR dated 24 June 2025 clearly enable all eligible electors to be included while excluding ineligible electors after verification by the concerned ERO," the EC said.