Bihar SIR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has pointed out a stark difference between political protests in Delhi and the situation on the ground in Bihar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. While Congress and other opposition parties have strongly criticised the exercise in the national capital, their state-level leaders in Bihar appear to be fully cooperating with it.
On Monday, the ECI released videos featuring district office-bearers of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) from Bihar. In the clips, leaders from districts such as Bhagalpur, Gopalganj and Purnia confirm that they have received the draft electoral rolls, along with lists of voters whose names have been removed. They also said they have a month to review the deletions and request corrections where necessary. Notably, the Commission said no formal complaint has been filed by any political party so far regarding the SIR process in Bihar.
Tough Stand On Rahul Gandhi’s Claims
The Commission also reiterated its firm stance on allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding irregularities in the voter list. It has asked Gandhi to either back his claims with an affidavit or issue a public apology.
The reminder comes after the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka issued a notice to him on Sunday, seeking a response. CEOs in Maharashtra and Haryana also sent reminders the same day, urging him to submit evidence under oath to support his accusations.
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No-Show At EC Meeting
The ECI said it had granted the Congress a meeting slot at 12 noon on Monday to discuss the SIR and other voter list concerns. The Commission had allowed a maximum of 30 representatives, in line with the meeting hall’s capacity and had asked for their names and vehicle details in advance. However, Congress and other opposition parties failed to attend.
The Special Intensive Revision is intended to ensure accuracy in the electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections, allowing corrections, additions and deletions before the final list is published.