Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has justified the national poll body's move to conduct a special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, saying that it is aimed at avoiding any “illegible” voter and ensuring that no one is left out of the voter list.
The CEC's remark comes as opposition parties, including the likes of Trinamool Congress and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, have heavily condemned the ECI's move ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.
“The objective of SIR is to ensure that no eligible voter is left out, and at the same time, no ineligible voter is included in the electoral roll. More than one lakh volunteers have also been deployed to assist the elderly, sick, persons with disabilities (PwD) and marginalised groups in filling up their Enumeration Forms”, Kumar said in his statement, news agency PTI reported.
ALSO READ | Bihar: Controversy over Election Commission’s revision of electoral rolls
In addition, the Election Commission also issued a statement on the matter and said that the SIR is needed since electoral rolls keep changing due to a variety of reasons, including deaths, migration, etc.
{{/usCountry}}In addition, the Election Commission also issued a statement on the matter and said that the SIR is needed since electoral rolls keep changing due to a variety of reasons, including deaths, migration, etc.
{{/usCountry}}“Further, Article 326 of the Constitution specifies the eligibility to become an elector. Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary residents in that constituency, are eligible to be registered as an elector,” it said.
The poll panel asserted that, according to the Representation of People Act 1950 and Rule 25 of the Registration of Electoral Rules 1960, the electoral roll must be revised before every election.
ALSO READ | ECI ‘shouldn’t turn into party office’: TMC on Bihar electoral roll revision
Additionally, the EC said that it has also uploaded the 2003 electoral roll of Bihar on its website, a move it said would hugely facilitate the ongoing special intensive revision in the state.
Opposition objects to SIR
Senior Congress leader Digvijay on Sunday said that all the INDIA bloc parties may approach the judiciary against the ongoing SIR in Bihar if the Election Commission does not take heed of the objections raised by the opposition.
Singh accused the BJP-led central government of trying to delete the names of poor and marginalised voters from the electoral rolls in the state.
ALSO READ | Opposition may raise revision of electoral rolls in Parliament
“The SIR drive of the EC is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise poor, tribal, young, flood-affected, and migrant voters in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. All constituents of INDIA bloc may knock the door of judiciary against the ongoing SIR of the electoral roll in Bihar if the EC does not accept the opposition's objections about the drive. I met RJD supremo Lalu Prasad ji here on Saturday and requested him to speak to our party president Mallikarjun Kharge over the issue,” Singh said.
Earlier, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi wrote to the ECI, highlighting objections to the ongoing SIR in Bihar. He pointed out that the electoral roll for Bihar has already undergone a special summary revision.
He raised several objections to the exercise and said, "The SIR will have a deleterious effect on electors across the state due to its proximity to the upcoming assembly elections."
Owaisi also accused the EC of secretly implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bihar, warning that the SIR may harm public trust in the poll panel.
The Trinamool Congress, including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, have said that the special intensive revision is the EC's "sinister move" to bring NRC through the backdoor.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien compared the EC's move to 'ancestor passes' in Nazi Germany.
"Why is this exercise being suddenly done right now? We have evidence as to why it is being done now. It is because the latest internal survey of the BJP for Bengal shows 46-49 seats for the party in the state's assembly polls (early next year). In their desperation to attempt to change things you do such things," he claimed.
TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose claimed that West Bengal was the "real target" of the exercise. "On June 26, the ECI announced that Special Intensive Revision will be conducted for Bihar Assembly polls, but the real target is Bengal," she said.