Safety, education and empowerment of women need support from all, says Women Commission chief
Addressing the media here, Ms. Sailaja said the Commission was on a brisk tour of the districts with a mission to spread awareness on the issues faced by women. 'The government has launched a number of welfare, empowerment and safety initiatives, but the real change should come from women themselves as they should remain eternally vigilant and utilise all the technology and support systems at their disposal to ensure their safety and progress,' she said.
Expressing serious concern at the incidence of online frauds, the panel chief cautioned women against falling victim to stalkers and strangers online. Ms. Sailaja further warned against the negative impact of certain films on students and youth, calling for early intervention and guidance from parents.
She reiterated that the problem of child marriages would be sternly dealt with and that the enforcement agencies have been directed to launch awareness drives across vulnerable areas.
Ms. Sailaja urged young women and girl students to channel their energy towards education and empowerment.
Ms. Sailaja called on the managements of educational institutions and workplaces to constitute internal complaint committees to prevent incidents of sexual harassment and regularly organise orientation for girl students and women.
She also unveiled the publicity posters on 'Prevention of Domestic Violence', appealing to the target groups to download and install the Shakti App on their mobile phones.
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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
View: Why Special Intensive Revision is the need of the hour
In a democracy, the relationship between the state and its citizens is marked by direct engagement, with elections serving as the primary means through which this engagement is exercised. The authority of the state is not self-derived; it flows from the collective will of the people, expressed through the act of voting. As thinkers from Locke to Ambedkar have emphasised in different contexts, the legitimacy of the state rests on the consent and confidence of the governed. This makes it not only a right but also a duty of the state to ensure that only eligible citizens are given the opportunity to vote freely, fairly, and meaningfully. A failure to do so, whether through neglect or manipulation, amounts to a failure of the state's core democratic responsibility. A view of the Election Commission of India (ECI) office in New Delhi.(File Photo) The first step of upholding the election process is a pure electoral roll, which is not only an obligation but a non-negotiable necessity for the very existence of democracy. In keeping with this mandate, the Commission decided to undertake a special intensive revision of electoral rolls across the country, beginning with Bihar, guided by the core objective that "no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in the electoral roll." To achieve this, the legal framework provides for two distinct methodologies: the summary revision, wherein the existing roll is published as a draft and updated with additions and deletions; and the intensive revision, which involves the preparation of the roll afresh from scratch. While the summary revision has been adopted in recent years primarily for the sake of administrative convenience, the Commission, taking note of the evolving demographic profile, increasing urbanisation, and growing patterns of migration, consciously chose the more rigorous path of special intensive revision. This decision reflects the Commission's commitment to maintaining the purity and integrity of the electoral roll, which forms the bedrock of any credible democratic exercise. The exercise is being undertaken not only to ensure that all eligible citizens are included, but also to verify that those enrolled fulfill all the conditions prescribed under the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and are not disqualified from being registered as electors. While the debate should have focused on why such a critical exercise had not been conducted for over two decades, the narrative has instead shifted to questioning its timing—why now—when the real question ought to have been why not earlier. A sense of apprehension is being circulated by certain quarters, suggesting that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will result in mass-scale disenfranchisement. These concerns are largely premised on the belief that many citizens, owing to illiteracy, migration for work, or poor access to documentation, would be unable to meet the requirements outlined in the Election Commission of India's (ECI) guidelines. It is argued that a significant number of people lack the documents necessary for enumeration and therefore may be excluded from the electoral roll. The Election Commission of India, fully aware that many eligible citizens may not possess conventional documentary proof, adopted a liberal and inclusive approach while framing the guidelines dated 24.06.2025. Intentionally, the list of documents prescribed therein was kept indicative and not exhaustive, precisely to ensure that all legally permissible documents that establish the eligibility conditions under the law could be considered by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). The underlying objective was to avoid exclusion and to accommodate the diverse socio-economic realities of citizens across the country. However, it must also be understood that the Election Commission, as a constitutional authority, is bound to operate strictly within the framework of law laid down by Parliament. It cannot—by design or discretion—permit reliance on documents that are legally impermissible or explicitly excluded by statutory mandate. Its flexibility is therefore broad, but never lawless. It is also pertinent to mention that from the very first day of notification, the Election Commission, through its field machinery, undertook proactive steps to ensure full coverage and, as a result, the enumeration teams reached 99.8% of electors—a figure that directly rebuts the claim of widespread exclusion. Yet, this is not the only significant outcome of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The exercise also revealed that approximately 22 lakh names on the roll belonged to deceased individuals, 32 lakh were found to be permanently shifted, 4 lakh were untraceable or failed to submit their enumeration forms, and nearly 7 lakh were registered at multiple locations. In total, around 65 lakh electors do not feature in the draft electoral roll. Significantly, about 61 lakh of these were found to be either deceased, permanently relocated, or already enrolled elsewhere—categories that are legally disqualified from being included in the roll. These exclusions are, therefore, not arbitrary but necessary corrections that uphold the legal integrity of the electoral process. As for the remaining 4 lakh electors, despite repeated visits and efforts by enumerators, they were not traceable or did not submit their forms. To address any inadvertent exclusion, including among these 65 lakh names, the Commission has provided an open window for filing claims and objections. The Commission, anticipating the possibility of genuine electors being left out, has instituted a robust remedial mechanism. Any eligible citizen whose name is missing from the draft roll can submit a claim for inclusion until the final publication scheduled for 30th September. This safeguard ensures that the process remains fair and inclusive, without compromising on the legal requirements for eligibility. When initial fears of mass disenfranchisement did not materialize, attention shifted to these figures as supposed evidence of large-scale deletion. However, in line with its guiding principle that 'no eligible elector should be left out,' the Election Commission shared the complete list of such entries with district representatives of recognized political parties, inviting them to verify or trace any individuals whose names they believed had been wrongly deleted. This outreach remains especially relevant for the 4 lakh electors who could not be located during enumeration. Despite this opportunity, no substantial effort or contrary evidence has been produced by any political party to substantiate claims of erroneous deletions. Can this then be termed disenfranchisement? The answer is no. What this instead reveals is that a significant portion of the existing electoral roll included individuals who are deceased, have permanently relocated, or cannot be verified to exist at all. Rather than undermining the democratic process, the Special Intensive Revision has strengthened it by identifying and correcting large-scale inaccuracies. This exercise has not only reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to electoral integrity but has also created an opportunity for stakeholders—including political parties and civil society organizations—to assist in tracing any remaining unverified electors, particularly those who were not found despite field visits. In this crucial final phase, political parties and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should rise above unproductive debate and instead contribute constructively to the process. Rather than casting doubts or hindering the revision effort, they should actively assist in identifying and facilitating the inclusion of any eligible electors who may have been inadvertently left out of the draft roll. They also have a valuable role in helping track the small remaining segment of 4 lakh untraceable electors, ensuring that the door remains open for rightful inclusion where possible. This last-mile exercise is essential to dispel any remaining apprehension regarding disenfranchisement. It is important to clarify that till the publication of the draft roll, no name has been deleted on the ground of non-availability of documents. Even during the scrutiny of the enumeration forms, every possible effort will be made to ensure that no eligible citizen is excluded solely due to lack of documentation. In cases where documents are unavailable, the Election Commission has deployed an additional force of over 2 lakh volunteers, apart from the 1 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs), to actively assist such electors in procuring the required documents from relevant government departments. Furthermore, no name shall be deleted without strictly adhering to the three foundational principles of natural justice—issuing a notice, providing a reasonable opportunity of being heard, and passing a speaking order. Any elector still aggrieved by such deletion is also afforded an opportunity to appeal under a robust two-tier appellate mechanism, thereby ensuring that the process remains both lawful and fair. The Election Commission of India has approached the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll with the dual responsibility of inclusion and integrity. While it is bound to ensure that every eligible citizen is rightfully included, it is equally obligated to prevent the entry of ineligible names that can distort the democratic process. The right to vote must be unhindered for those who fulfil the legal conditions, but that same right loses its meaning if the roll is polluted by wrongful entries. But democracy cannot allow those without legal entitlement to occupy the same space in the roll. In ensuring both rightful inclusion and lawful exclusion, the Commission is fulfilling not two competing tasks, but one unified constitutional duty: protecting the sanctity of the franchise. EC is simply doing its job.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- NDTV
Poll Body Releases Draft Voter List For Bihar, Allows One Month For Claims
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft voter list for Bihar, following a month-long special intensive revision (SIR) process. The EC said the public has one month to submit claims and objections, assuring that "no name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason." In a statement, the ECI clarified that the draft list has already been shared with all political parties and urged citizens to review their voter information thoroughly and also specified that "no name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason" "The draft voter list has been released today in Bihar. One-month period for claims and objections begins; draft list shared with political parties. Still a full one month to get names added. No name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason," the Commission stated in a statement on X. On Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, said."Dear Electors of Bihar, as per Para 7(4) of SIR orders (Page 3), the draft electoral rolls of Bihar are being published tomorrow ie Friday, the 1 Aug 2025 at "Physical as well as digital copies will also be given to all recognised political parties in Bihar in all 38 districts by all the 38 District Election Officers (DEOs) of Bihar," the CEC said in a message, according to Voters' Services Portal. The CEC said that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar and 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will also be inviting any elector of that assembly constituency or any recognised political party in Bihar to come forward and give claims and objections from Aug 1 to Sep 1, 2025 for adding names of any missing eligible elector, removing names of any ineligible elector or correction of any entry in the draft electoral rolls. The Election Commission had said on Sunday that out of 7.89 crore registered voters in Bihar, over 7.24 crore electors have submitted their enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) held from June 24 to July 25, reflecting a 91.69 per cent participation rate. The Commission described the SIR as a "massive and successful citizen participation effort" across the state, aimed at enhancing the accuracy of the electoral rolls ahead of upcoming assembly elections. Election Commission said in a press release that the enumeration exercise was launched to verify and update voter records across all 38 districts of Bihar." The first aim of SIR was participation of all electors and all political parties," adding that the role of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Booth Level Agents (BLAs), volunteers, and political party workers contributed significantly to the process. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visited each registered elector's residence, distributing and collecting forms in at least three rounds. Additional efforts targeted urban voters, young first-time voters, and temporary migrants from Bihar. The ECI had clarified that names in the electoral rolls will not be deleted without a proper notice and written order by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), as per SIR guidelines. Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has also revealed that approximately 35 lakh electors are either untraced or have permanently migrated from their registered addresses. The Supreme Court had earlier this week posted for hearing a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission of India's move to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. The pleas are listed for August 12 and 13. On petitioners' apprehension that 65 lakh voters are going to be excluded from the draft list to be published by the Election Commission of India in the SIR process on August 1, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that if there is any mass exclusion of voters, then the court will step in. On Monday, the top court again asked ECI to consider including the Aadhaar card and electoral photo identity card as admissible documents to prove the identity of voters during the SIR of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar. It had also refused to stop the Election Commission from publishing the draft electoral rolls for Bihar on August 1 as per the schedule.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
SBI directed to compensate customer for ‘deficiency in service'
A district consumer commission directed the State Bank of India's to pay compensation to a customer for failing to notify him about the creation of an overdraft account linked to a disputed debit card transaction. The customer had claimed that this had impacted his CIBIL score. The Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Karimnagar, was dealing with a a complaint filed one Gaddam Shivaramakrishna, 27, who claimed that the bank had created a ₹1,200 overdraft account in his name without his consent. Later a technical error related to a merchant transaction in 2019 took place which led to the escalation of the issue. Despite clearing dues, his CIBIL report reflected that he had an active loan. This, he said, affected him negatively. For their part, the SBI admitted to a merchant transaction of ₹1,200 in April 2019 that was reversed. This led to the bank opening an overdraft account for the purpose of adjustment. They contended that the complainant was informed orally and through text message. Later, the account was closed after full repayment. The bank also submitted a CIBIL report that indicated the status of the loan was updated. The Commission found that the creation of the overdraft account was not wrong. They cited RBI guidelines that permit such a move in cases of failed ATM transactions. However, it held the bank had not placed on record concrete evidence of the customer being informed about the account's creation. This, the Commission concluded , amounted deficiency in service.
