Two crore Bihar voters will be disenfranchised because of SIR, INDIA bloc claims
Twenty leaders from 11 parties of the Opposition bloc met the Commission to convey their objections regarding the SIR exercise ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for October–November this year. Drawing a parallel with the 2016 demonetisation exercise, which was colloquially referred to as notebandi, the Opposition termed the electoral revision 'votebandi'. Citing the ECI's own estimate that at least 20% of Bihar's population comprises migrant workers, the leaders expressed fears that such individuals could be arbitrarily removed from the rolls.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the delegation raised three primary concerns: the necessity, timing, and feasibility of the revision exercise. 'Firstly, we asked if the last revision was in 2003, for 22 years, four or five Bihar Assembly polls have happened - were all those elections faulty and imperfect?' Mr. Singhvi asked. He pointed out that the 2003 revision was held well in advance of national and State elections.
'In contrast, this revision, which affects the second largest electorate in the country with over eight crore voters, is being carried out in just two months,' he said. 'We believe that migratory persons, who travel to work, cannot be at the beck and call of the enumerator.' Mr. Singhvi further stated that 'disenfranchisement' is the gravest attack on the Constitution's basic structure. 'We have said that upwards of 2.5 or three crore persons - let us assume the minimum two crore - may be disenfranchised by this exercise. Why choose to do this at the cusp of the elections?' he asked.
Mr. Singhvi also questioned why the ECI had 'jettisoned and abandoned' the Aadhaar card, which has previously been used to confirm voter identities. He raised concerns over the lack of transparency, noting that political parties were not informed in advance about the planned revision. 'EC seems completely disinclined to consider our submissions,' he said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha described the meeting as 'less than amicable'. '20% of the population, who migrate in search of livelihood, are in danger of losing their voting rights. The purpose of this exercise is exclusion rather than inclusion,' Mr. Jha said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the Opposition came away from the meeting even more concerned. 'The EC clarified that only those who are ordinary residents will find their names on the electoral roll. Those who are forced to leave the State looking for livelihood, in EC's view, will not be considered 'ordinary residents',' he said. Mr. Bhattacharya also questioned the logistics of reaching eight crore voters during the monsoon season.
Responding to the Opposition's concerns, the Commission said that the SIR was being conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the instructions issued on June 24. The Commission maintained that each concern raised during the meeting was addressed in full.
The ECI also thanked political parties for appointing over 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for ground-level participation in the SIR.
The meeting saw tensions rise over the issue of representation, with the ECI having earlier informed parties that only the heads would be allowed in. 'It will render dialogue between political parties and the Election Commission absolutely impossible,' Mr. Singhvi said, criticising the move.
However, ECI sources later clarified that some participants were pre-appointed while others were allowed entry on the Commission's own discretion. The Commission said it allowed two representatives from each party to ensure all views were heard.
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