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New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Election Commission pushes political parties for immediate appointment of BLAs ahead of SIR roll out
NEW DELHI: With the groundwork for a special voter list revision already underway, the Election Commission has directed all state election officers to write to political parties, urging them to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) without further delay. The communication, described by officials as firm and urgent, signals Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to be carried in the capital soon. In a letter sent to state poll authorities, the Commission noted that the "entire exercise of SIR will be incomplete without active participation of the political parties." It emphasised appointment of their BLAs "immediately.". 'All political parties must be informed in writing and they should be persuaded for appointment of BLAs immediately, so that these BLAs are in the field during SIR,' the letter stated. The Commission has also sought immediate submission of data on polling stations, Booth Level Officers (BLOs), their supervisors, and the appointed BLAs.
India Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Election Commission plans to weed out doubtful voters in Bihar ahead of polls
The Election Commission on Friday released the draft electoral rolls for poll-bound Bihar, removing over 65 lakh names after an extensive verification exercise aimed at identifying individuals who had either died or migrated. Following the release of the draft rolls, the next phase involves a comprehensive drive to identify 'D-voters' (doubtful voters).This initiative will focus on two key identification markers and aims to clarify the status of voters flagged under suspicion first set of markers targets individuals who have either wilfully not submitted required documents or those whom Booth Level Officers (BLOs) could not trace. These include suspected ghost voters and foreign nationals lacking verifiable documents or proof of residence. Such individuals are subject to scrutiny via a claims and objections mechanism, open until September 1. This mechanism is crucial as it allows individuals to present their case and rectify any discrepancies, ensuring that only eligible voters are included.A second set comprises individuals already flagged as suspicious by local intelligence units. This group involves suspected foreign nationals, who are being assessed on their linkage to the 2003 voter list. The scrutiny focusses on cases where individuals hold documents but cannot trace their lineage to the 2003 authority for communication with identified foreign nationals has been delegated to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Suspected individuals are expected to receive communication requesting proof of their legal status, failing which they will be excluded from the final list by the end of election commission has identified regions where potential resistance might occur. Local leaders in these areas are actively communicating with the administration, though officials report supportive ground sentiment in efforts to identify foreign administration expects minimal large-scale pushback, which indicates a cooperative environment and community support for the has been set to first address claims and objections raised by individuals or groups questioning their status on the voter list. By mid-August, EROs are anticipated to commence formal communications with those suspected of being foreign nationals to verify their ECI, along with local administrative bodies, remains optimistic about successfully removing ineligible foreign nationals from the list before the final Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar has sparked a major controversy, with the Opposition strongly protesting the exercise, calling it an "exercise in exclusion" and a "conspiracy" to disenfranchise certain communities and sections that form its core vote bank. The issue has led to repeated adjournments in Parliament and is currently being heard by the Supreme Court.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Bihar
India Gazette
14-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"ECI doing a very good job": Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi backs Bihar's voter list revision
ANI 14 Jul 2025, 20:04 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday backed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of poll bound Bihar's electoral rolls, saying that it is the responsibility of the government and the Election Commission to investigate any discrepancies in the voter list and that the poll panel is 'doing a very good job.' The Union Minister's remarks come amid EC sources saying that a large number of individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) with Aadhaar cards, domicile certificates and ration cards during house-to-house visits carried out as part of the SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. Union Minister Manjhi also alleged that the opposition has been opposed to the revision because they themselves are 'taking political advantage of these fake voters.' 'It is the responsibility of the government and the Election Commission of India to investigate the discrepancies in the voter list...I have been raising the issue that people from outside (people from Bangladesh, Myanmar) are living illegally in Bihar. Only those people should have the right to vote who are residents of Bihar,' the union minister told ANI. Praising the poll panel for the voter list revision, he alleged that the Opposition leaders have objected to revision because they are taking advantage of the 'fake voters.' 'The Election Commission of India is doing a very good job. The opposition leaders who are opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise mean that they are taking political advantage of these fake voters,' he said. The state will have Assembly polls later in the year. The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that till Saturday evening, 80.11 per cent of electors in Bihar submitted their forms, adding that the commission is moving ahead to complete the collection of Enumeration Forms (EFs) before the stipulated time of July 25. (ANI)
