E-Paper
‘15 days still remaining': CEC says doors of poll body open for everyone equally
The CEC said that 15 days were left for corrections in the Bihar draft electoral roll and called on every party to approach the ECI with the same.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, said on Sunday that the poll body's doors are open equally to all, calling on every political party to raise any problem with the draft electoral roll under the Bihar SIR.
The CEC said that 15 days were left for corrections in the Bihar draft electoral roll and called on every party to approach the ECI with the same. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference on various electoral issues in Delhi
“15 days are still remaining. The Election Commission calls on every political party, any problems in the draft electoral roll given to them should be brought before the commission by prescribed forms in the next 15 days,” the CEC said.
The CEC cited voters' privacy concerns to argue why it has not shared CCTV footage from polling booths in recent elections, even after the opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, levelled serious allegations of irregularities.
“As for the machine-readable electoral roll is concerned, the honourable Supreme Court has already said it in 2019 that it could lead to a breach in voter privacy. We saw in the last few days that photos of many voters were used and put forward in the media without their permission. Should the election commission share the CCTV footage of our mothers, daughters, or daughter-in-laws?” the CEC said.
The CEC said that the poll body would decide when to conduct an SIR in West Bengal and other states. He said the decision would be announced at an appropriate time.
“We three commissioners will decide at an appropriate time and take a decision on when to conduct SIR in West Bengal or other states. It will be announced at an appropriate time,” he said.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar asked whether the electoral rolls should be revised before the election or after.
“Of course, before the election. It is the duty of the election commission,” he said.
