**Burqa-Clad Voters’ Identification Must During Bihar Polls: BJP Chief**
*By Snehil Singh | Oct 05, 2025 | 10:44 AM*
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Jaiswal has sparked controversy by urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify the identity of burqa-clad voters in the upcoming Bihar elections.
Jaiswal made this demand during a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He emphasized, “Tallying of faces of voters, especially burqa-clad women, must be ensured with respective EPIC cards so that only genuine voters get to exercise their franchise.”
### Opposition Response: RJD Calls It a Political Conspiracy
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the main opposition party in Bihar, strongly criticized Jaiswal’s remarks. RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha dismissed the demand as a “political conspiracy.” He pointed out that the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls has recently been conducted, and new EPIC cards with fresh photographs are to be issued to all voters. “Identification of voters is no big deal,” Kushwaha added.
### Official Backing: Deputy CM Supports the Demand
Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha backed Jaiswal’s demand, drawing parallels with Hindu women who wear veils. He stated, “According to the Constitution, the law should be the same for all.”
Sinha also assured that women officers would be deployed to verify the faces of female voters. He emphasized that any decision taken by the Election Commission would be final.
### Election Agreement: BJP and RJD Align on Poll Phases
Interestingly, despite differences, both BJP and RJD agree on conducting the Bihar elections in either one or two phases, urging the ECI not to stagger the election process.
The RJD suggested holding the polls after the Chhath festival, which falls at the end of October this year.
### Support from Smaller Parties for Two-Phase Elections
Smaller parties like Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and CPI(ML) Liberation have also supported the demand for conducting elections in two phases.
The BJP recommended deploying paramilitary forces in villages with weaker sections to ensure voter safety. Meanwhile, the RJD has demanded transparency from the ECI regarding the revision of electoral rolls and sought a list of sensitive booths to prevent voter intimidation.
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The issue of voter identification in religious attire has sparked a debate about election transparency and security ahead of the Bihar polls, with various political parties expressing differing views amid a rare consensus on election scheduling.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/bihar-polls-bjp-chief-s-burqa-verification-demand-triggers-row/story
