Rabri Devi Accuses Centre, Bihar Govt of Plotting Voter Disenfranchisement Ahead of Polls
Speaking to IANS, Rabri Devi claimed that nearly three crore citizens, including migrant workers and flood-displaced residents, have been arbitrarily removed from the voter list. She described the exercise as a 'planned political move' and questioned why similar revisions were not conducted in other states. 'This is not just negligence, this is injustice,' she said.
The RJD leader accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of demanding excessive documentation from voters, including ancestral records, and urged citizens to resist such demands. She alleged that the revision disproportionately affects vulnerable populations ahead of the upcoming elections.
Rabri Devi directly blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the revision was being carried out at the Centre's behest in collaboration with the Bihar government. 'Why only Bihar? Why not Madhya Pradesh?' she asked, calling the move an attempt to rob people of their voting rights.
She also criticized the ECI for failing to adequately inform citizens about the revision process and demanded that officials reach out to affected voters.
Turning to the law and order situation, Rabri Devi expressed concern over a recent surge in violent crimes across Bihar. She cited the killings of Gopal Khemka, Ajit Kumar, Ramakant Yadav, and others as evidence of deteriorating governance. 'Crime is on the rise, and Nitish Kumar, who holds the Home portfolio, seems unable to control the situation,' she said.
In a controversial remark, Rabri Devi suggested that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should step aside and appoint his son as CM, arguing that younger leadership might be more effective.
Her comments come amid growing opposition criticism and renewed accusations of a return to 'jungle raj.' Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently referred to Bihar as the 'crime capital of India,' citing 31 murders in 11 days and warning of a thriving contract killing industry.
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Business Standard
28 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Will step in if there is mass exclusion, SC tells EC on Bihar SIR
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would step in if there was 'mass exclusion' of voters ahead of the 1 August release of the draft electoral roll, following the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. The court observed that while the Election Commission (EC) is a constitutional authority expected to act in accordance with the law, judicial intervention would be warranted in case of large-scale exclusion. "The Election Commission of India, being a constitutional authority, is deemed to act in accordance with the law. If any wrongdoing is done, you bring it to the notice of the court. We will hear you," the court told the petitioners. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi fixed a timeline to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission's SIR exercise in Bihar, scheduling the hearing for 12 and 13 August. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, told the court that many individuals were being excluded from the draft electoral roll due to be published on 1 August, risking the loss of their right to vote. Bhushan submitted that the EC had claimed 6.5 million people had not submitted enumeration forms during the SIR process, having either died or permanently relocated. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the EC, countered that enumeration forms could still be submitted after the draft list's publication. The bench directed both parties—the petitioners and the EC—to file their written submissions by 8 August. On Monday, the Supreme Court had refused to stay the publication of the draft electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. However, it allowed the EC to continue accepting Aadhaar and voter ID cards during the SIR process, stating these documents have 'some sanctity.' The court is hearing petitions challenging the EC's 24 June directive ordering a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. Under this directive, voters not listed in the 2003 electoral roll are required to submit documents proving their citizenship. Additionally, individuals born after December 2004 must furnish the citizenship documents of both parents, with further requirements if a parent is a foreign national. The court earlier observed that the petitions raise 'an important question which goes to the very root of the functioning of democracy in the country—the right to vote.'
News18
38 minutes ago
- News18
EC Likely To Take Action Against 2 West Bengal Officers Over Inclusion Of Fictitious Voters
Sources in the EC told News18 that both officers, serving as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in Baruipur and Moyna, had allegedly shared login credentials The Election Commission of India (EC) is likely to initiate strict action against two West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officers after they were found guilty of facilitating the inclusion of fictitious voters in the electoral rolls. Sources in the EC told News18 that both officers, serving as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in Baruipur and Moyna, had allegedly shared login credentials through which fake voter names were added to the rolls. They were summoned on Monday for a hearing, and a preliminary inquiry held them responsible for the anomalies. 'The competent authority has been asked to take necessary disciplinary action against both officials," a senior official told News18. The irregularities were uncovered during a random sampling audit conducted by the Commission, prompting it to issue a fresh directive to all District Electoral Officers. The EC has ordered a comprehensive review of all voter inclusions made in the past one year, citing evidence of fake entries. In a move to tighten administrative oversight, the Election Commission has further instructed that no contractual data entry operators will be allowed to participate in any election-related tasks going forward. This comes after reports surfaced indicating misuse and procedural lapses involving temporary staff. 'Only permanent government staff will be assigned to handle sensitive election duties, particularly related to voter roll management," a source said. Amid these developments, preparations are underway for the rollout of SIR (State-wide Integrated Revision) in West Bengal. Sources confirm that all necessary arrangements are in place for its imminent implementation. The issue of fake voters has sparked a fresh political slugfest in the state. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday alleged that his team had uncovered fake voters in two Assembly constituencies. 'They've created bogus voters. Their names must be deleted. In Baruipur alone, we have identified 118 fake names," Adhikari claimed. 'This will not be tolerated." On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated her concern that there may be wrongful deletion; she stated that under no circumstances should genuine voters be struck off the list under the guise of revision. As the state gears up for electoral roll cleansing, the controversy underscores the high-stakes battle between integrity and political maneuvering in Bengal's voter database. view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 19:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Manipur district election officers begin SIR outreach, meet parties
Even as Manipur remains under President's Rule, district election officers have begun holding meetings with local representatives of political parties to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. While these meetings have already been held in at least five of the 16 districts in the state, notices convening such meetings have been issued in the remaining districts. On Monday, representatives of the BJP, Congress and the Kuki People's Alliance attended one such meeting in Kangpokpi district. According to an official there, the meeting was held based on 'informal' instructions issued by the State Election Commission. 'There was no formal notice from either the Election Commission of India or from the State Election Commission to conduct such meetings. However, we were given an informal communication that in view of the ensuing SIR, a meeting should be held with political parties to sensitise them on the process, as well as on pre-revision house-to-house surveys and rationalisation of polling stations,' the official said. At the meeting, representatives of all three parties are learnt to have expressed concern over the non-inclusion of Aadhaar cards for the exercise. Amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, ahead of the Assembly elections there, the Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission to consider inclusion of Aadhaar, Voter ID and ration cards as proof for updating the rolls. 'We had communicated with the representatives about the 11 documents that are permissible for proving identity and address. They were concerned that in a hilly, tribal area like this, most people may not have the other required documents but are most likely to have Aadhaar since it is linked with so many things,' said the official. Thangjamang Kipgem, a BJP leader who attended the meeting, said the concern was shared by other parties as well. 'We are very concerned about this, because Aadhaar is one document that everyone, from new voters to old people, are most likely to have. The officials told us that they will convey our concerns to the authorities,' he said. A similar meeting was also held in Kamjong on Monday, which was attended by representatives of the BJP, Congress and the Naga People's Front. 'We explained what the process is and what the documents required are. The representatives emphasised that every eligible citizen must be a part of the electoral roll,' said a district official. Similar meetings have also been held in Noney, Ukhrul and Thoubal districts. Earlier this month, the state also conducted training sessions on the SIR for booth level officers and their supervisors across multiple Assembly constituencies. With these preparatory steps, Manipur has set the ball rolling for an imminent SIR, even as its neighbour, Assam, has effectively sought a delay in the exercise in the state by asking for the inclusion in a final NRC — a matter that has been in limbo for six years — as among the admissible documents.
