Opposition leads in Booth Level Agent appointments during Bihar’s SIR drive
New Delhi: In a significant development during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, opposition parties have outpaced others in appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs).
According to official data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday, political parties nominated a total of 1.60 lakh BLAs during the enumeration phase of the SIR conducted between June 24 and July 25, 2025 – a 16 per cent increase from the beginning of the drive.
Notably, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) recorded a staggering 1083 per cent increase in BLAs, jumping from just 76 agents before SIR to 899 by the end.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation followed closely, with a 542 per cent rise – from 233 to 1,496 agents.
The Indian National Congress also showed remarkable engagement, doubling its BLA count from 8,586 to 17,549 – an increase of 105 per cent. In sharp contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), despite being a major opposition player in Bihar, showed a meagre 1 per cent increase, from 47,143 to 47,506 BLAs.
The data directly counters any perception that the opposition boycotted or under-participated in the SIR exercise. Instead, it reveals that parties like the Congress, CPI(M), and CPIML actively mobilised at the booth level to engage with voters and ensure accurate electoral rolls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while maintaining a high base, saw only a 3 per cent increase in its BLAs – from 51,964 to 53,338.
The Janata Dal (United) demonstrated moderate growth of 31 per cent, raising its count from 27,931 to 36,550.
The rise in BLA appointments is seen as a critical indicator of party preparedness and grassroots mobilisation ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
It also reflects a broader political consensus in supporting a cleaner, more inclusive voter list through active participation in the SIR process.
The opposition INDIA Bloc has been criticising the poll panel for conducting the SIR drive just ahead of the Bihar elections, but according to the data shared by the poll panel, the sharp increment in appointing BLA’s reflects the opposition’s presence on the ground when the drive was being done.