Names of Nepalese, Bangladeshis found in Bihar's intensive revision of voter list, claims EC officials

The Election Commission will eventually carry out a special intensive revision of electoral rolls across India to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth.

The Election Commission of India's local functionaries in Bihar claimed to have found "a large number of people" from three neighbouring countries- Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh-during its door-to-door visits to verify the list of voters in the state under the ongoing special intensive review.

The field officials said the names of illegal migrants will be removed from the final electoral roll that is set to be published on September 30 following a proper enquiry, which will start on August 1.

Citing ground reports, EC officials said that during house-to-house visits "a large number" of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found by booth-level-officers.

The Election Commission will eventually carry out a special intensive revision of electoral rolls across India to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth.

Bihar is going to polls this year, while assembly polls in these five other states — Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal — are scheduled in 2026.

The move assumes significance in the wake of a crackdown in various states on illegal foreign migrants, including from Bangladesh and Myanmar.