Bihar Polls: Political Parties Increase BLAs To Keep an Eye on EC Activities
The Opposition parties have nearly doubled the number of BLAs in the state to verify the additions and deletions made by the ECI’s Booth level Officers (BLOs) deployed at 77,895 polling booths
New Delhi: Amid chaos, confusion and controversy of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, political parties have hurriedly increased the number of Booth Level Agents (BLA) in the last one month to keep an eye on the activities of the Election Commission officials and stay vigilant on the wrongful addition and deletion of electors in the new voter list being prepared in the state. The first draft electoral roll will be published on August 1.
The Opposition parties have nearly doubled the number of BLAs in the state to verify the additions and deletions made by the ECI’s Booth level Officers (BLOs) deployed at 77,895 polling booths. The increase of the local political agents (BLAs) is highest in the Congress, Left and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) compared to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Overall there has been an increase of 16% in the number of BLAs from about 1.39 lakh before June 2025 to 1.61 lakh in the last one month.
The Congress that had appointed 8,586 BLA before the SIR activities began in June 2025 has more than doubled the numbers in the last one month increasing numbers from 8,586 to 17, 549, an increase of 105% to stay vigilant. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) increased BLA from 76 to 899, which is an increase of 1083%. The other Left party CPI-ML- Liberation too upped the number of BLAs from 233 to 1496 (542% increase).
Compared to this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had already appointed a substantial number of BLAs before June increased its agents marginally from 51, 964 to 53,338 (3%). The Rashtriya Janata Dal increased one 1% of BLA going up from 47,143 to 47, 506. The RJD is in alliance with the Congress in Bihar and the two have an understanding on seats, hence, have accordingly, divided their BLAs duties.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal (United) too has increased its BLA from 27,931 to 36,550 (31%) while the BSP has increased from 26 to 74 (185%). Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) which were united in previous assembly elections have made an increase of 27% in BLAs. They together had 2,457 BLAs and now have 1913, and 1210, respectively after parting ways.
The Aam Aadmi Party, going solo in Bihar polls for the first time, has appointed only one BLA, and PA Sangma’s National People’s Party has appointed 7.
Meanwhile, the ECI said 99.8% Bihar electors have been covered so far in the ongoing SIR. Forms of 7.23 crore electors have been received and digitized and names of all these electors will be included in the Draft Electoral Roll, ECI officials said. The digitisation of forms, along with BLO reports, of the remaining electors will also be completed by August 1, 2025. The lists of those electors who have not filled the forms or are deceased and those who have permanently migrated have already been shared on July 20 with all the 12 political parties – BSP, BJP, CPI-M, Congress, RJD, JD-U, RLSP, CPI-ML-Liberation, RLJP, LJP (Ram Vilas), NPP, AAP -- so that any errors can be rectified in the Draft Electoral Roll, officials said.
ECI has said that since the exercise began, names of approximately 22 lakh deceased electors.have been reported by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and about 7 lakh electors were found registered in more than one location. It added that approximately 35 lakh electors have either permanently migrated or could not be traced. Enumeration forms of approximately 1.2 lakh electors yet to be received.