No Bihar voter to be removed from rolls without notice: Poll body to top court
The Election Commission submitted that it is taking all possible measures to ensure no eligible voter is excluded from the electoral roll. It added that a two-tier appeal mechanism is in place to provide every voter with adequate recourse against any adverse action."Even in cases in which any vulnerable elector does not presently possess any documents, he/she would be facilitated in the process of obtaining such documents," the Commission, also noting that, "Out of 7.89 crore electors, over 7.24 crore submitted their enumeration forms".It added that, to facilitate thorough scrutiny of the draft roll from August 1 to September 1, printed and digital copies have been provided to political parties, along with an online facility for the general public.The poll body, in its affidavit, outlined a multi-pronged strategy to maximise voter participation, including extensive awareness campaigns, repeated visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to engage local residents, and other targeted initiatives."To ensure that no eligible elector in Bihar is left behind, awareness campaigns through SMS, meetings, and repeated BLO visits were conducted... To ensure that no temporary migrant from Bihar is excluded, advertisements in Hindi were issued in 246 newspapers... To ensure that no urban elector is left out, special urban camps were organised in all 261 urban local bodies," the Commission told the top court.advertisementFocusing on young voters who will attain the qualifying age on or before October 1, it added that advance applications are being accepted, with special campaigns planned during the claims and objections period.While several pleas have been filed in the Supreme Court against the voter list revision, the Election Commission maintains that the SIR is a routine and necessary exercise to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls by removing deceased, duplicate, or permanently shifted voters.The 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election for all 243 constituencies is expected to be held in October or November this year.- EndsMust Watch
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India.com
28 minutes ago
- India.com
'Will address street dog issue with empathy': Delhi govt amid protests against SC directive
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Animal lovers and caregivers from across the national capital staged a protest against the apex court's order on Tuesday, saying the move would harm street dogs and disrupt the bond they share with communities. The protest, held at Connaught Place, saw participants holding placards that read 'Beware: Kaal Bhairav is watching' and 'Stop relocation, we stand in solidarity against the SC verdict'. Many displayed a picture of Lord Shiva with a dog seated beside him, symbolising the cultural and spiritual connection between humans and animals. Some were in tears, urging authorities to 'please let them be free, they are like small kids.' About 15 animal rights activists were detained by the police and taken to a nearby police station. During the protest, there was also a scuffle between animal lovers and police personnel. Protesters argued that dogs should not be confined to shelters, pointing out that people often feed them only on specific religious occasions when priests advise it. 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Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Daadi bana diya': ‘124-year-old' first-time voter in Bihar electoral rolls reacts; was on Oppn T-shirts at Parliament
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The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
‘124-year-old' Minta Devi wants poll body to rectify age goof-up
Siwan's Minta Devi, who became the face of the Opposition's protest against the Election Commission on Tuesday (August 12, 2025), said she was not aware that her age in the electoral roll was recorded as 124 years. She urged the poll panel to correct it. Several Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, wore a T-shirt with Ms. Devi's face printed on it while protesting outside the Parliament against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. The Opposition leaders alleged voter fraud in various constituencies and cited Ms. Devi's case to highlight 'irregularities'. 'I do not know what is going on in the Parliament, but my date of birth mentioned in the Aadhaar card is July 15, 1990. I had given my Aadhaar to my brother-in-law who had applied online for the voter I-card two months ago,' she said. The application was made in Siwan. 'However, when I received my voter card, I did not check it. It was only when the media met me that I saw my date of birth was printed as July 15, 1900. It is the mistake of the person who has issued the voter card,' Ms. Devi said, adding that she has never voted before. She said no Booth Level Officer contacted her during the SIR. 'Those who are responsible for this blunder should rectify it and issue me a fresh voter I-card. I have not made any mistakes,' Ms. Devi said. Ms. Devi is a resident of Arjaanipur village and a voter registered in the Daraunda Assembly constituency of Siwan district. Her husband, Dhananjay Kumar Singh, is an e-rickshaw driver. The Siwan District Magistrate's office issued a press statement saying that the age shown in Ms. Devi's voter card was due to a 'human error' and it was made by her husband while filing the online form. The process of correction has already started, the statement said. 'Deputy Election Officer, Siwan, Sohail Ahmed has received the information that in polling station number 94, Siwan block under 109 Darauda Legislative Assembly constituency, Minta Devi, husband-Dhananjay Kumar Singh had filled the online application form for adding the name through Form-06,' the statement said. Ms. Devi's father-in-law Tej Bahadur Singh alleged that the BLOs were not going door-to-door for verification. 'The BLOs filled most of the enumeration form on their own. If they would have visited our house, we could have told them about the number of family members and their age,' he said.
