Biblical Fear of ‘666’ Keeps 40 Eligible Mizoram Voters Off Electoral Roll as ECI Steps Up Efforts

Champhai: A deeply rooted religious belief surrounding the biblical number 666-known in Christian theology as the “Number of the Beast”-has prompted around 40 eligible citizens in Mizoram’s Champhai district to deliberately stay off the state’s electoral rolls.

The individuals belong to a small religious sect known locally as the "Delete Church" in the Zotlang neighborhood of Champhai town, situated along the India-Myanmar border. Out of the 67 total members in the community, an estimated 30 to 40 are adults eligible to vote, while the rest are minors.

Shunned Identity Systems

The followers adhere strictly to beliefs rooted in Revelation 13:18, giving rise to an intense aversion-referred to medically as hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (fear of the number 666). For church members, formal identification and state registration systems risk associating them with the forbidden mark.

Consequently, members avoid not only voter registration but also routine civic necessities, including:

•  Aadhaar cards
• Bank accounts
• Ration cards and driving licences
• State welfare benefits and formal school enrollments

Poll Officials Meet the Community

Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Garima Gupta traveled to Zotlang alongside district election officials to engage with community leaders.

During the cordial meeting, church members unequivocally reaffirmed their position: their refusal to enroll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is not due to a lack of awareness, but a conscious choice to protect their faith. Election officials respected the community's constitutional right to religious freedom, noting that registration cannot be enforced against their spiritual convictions.

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