Bihar to Launch Mapping Drive for 16–17-Year-Olds to Boost Voter Registration

Patna, 20th May 2025: In a major initiative to increase voter participation among the youth, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all district administrations in Bihar to begin mapping potential voters aged 16 to 17 years. These individuals will be encouraged to apply in advance so that their names can be automatically added to the electoral roll once they turn 18.

The directive was issued by Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi during a review meeting in Vaishali on Monday, as part of his visit to Bihar. He emphasized the need to bridge the significant gap between the estimated and actual number of registered young voters in the state.

Youth Voter Gap: Only 8 Lakh Registered vs 64 Lakh Eligible
According to the data presented during the meeting, Bihar currently has a total of 7.80 crore registered voters, including only 8,08,857 voters aged 18–19 years. However, the estimated eligible population in this age group is close to 64 lakh, indicating a large gap in registration.

To address this issue, the Election Commission has instructed officials to actively identify, engage, and register youth aged 16–17, so they can be enrolled automatically upon turning 18. This effort will be part of the upcoming brief revision campaign, which will also focus on removing the names of deceased voters from the rolls.

Dr. Joshi Visits Heritage Sites in Vaishali
As part of his Bihar tour, Dr. Joshi traveled from Vaishali to Motihari, visiting important heritage and religious sites including the Kesariya Stupa, Mahavir Janmasthan, and Vasokund. He returned to New Delhi later in the evening after concluding his visit.