Patna (Bihar) [India], July 7 (ANI): Continuing to raise “deep” concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which is being carried out in poll-bound Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday claimed that those who do not have any of the 11 documents asked for verification, their names will be “removed” from the electoral roll list.
Addressing a press conference, the Bihar Leader of Opposition (LoP) said that the opposition had met the Election Commission on July 5 to raise their concerns; however, they still haven’t received any answers from the poll panel.
“On July 5, we met the Election Commission of India and posed our questions before it. The worry is that we have no clarity from the EC so far. You all know that Bihar EC works only as a post office and has no authority to provide an answer. Why are they not answering the questions of the opposition and the people of Bihar… People of Bihar don’t have the 11 documents which EC has asked for; rather, they have an Aadhar card, MGNREGA card, and ration card. This is the only document which the poor people of Bihar have. It is clear that the people who do not have these 11 documents, their names will be removed,” Yadav said.
The Mahagathbandhan alliance also expressed concerns about the EC’s “contradictory” directives, saying, “On July 6 (yesterday), the EC issued three different directions. This proves that EC is confused… Our alliance expresses deep worry over the contradictory directions and advertisements issued by the Election Commission of India,” he said.
Since the announcement of the SIR of electoral rolls, the opposition parties have raised their concerns.
Petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) move to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar were filed in the Supreme Court, to which the top court has agreed to hear on July 10.
The petitions were filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, and former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam.
The petitions sought a direction to quash the ECI’s June 24 directive, which requires large sections of voters in Bihar to submit proof of citizenship to remain on the electoral rolls.
The petition also raised concerns over the exclusion of widely held documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, stating that this would disproportionately affect the poor and marginalised voters, especially in rural Bihar.
Meanwhile, on July 6, the Election Commission said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar is being implemented smoothly at the ground level with the active cooperation of the electors.
“The initial phase of SIR, during which Enumeration forms were to be printed and distributed, is almost complete, with the forms having been made available to all the electors who were available,” read a statement from the poll panel. (ANI)
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