Latest news with #PreethaNair
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
EC should start SIR in Andhra quickly as every vote counts: TDP
The ruling NDA's ally and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Lok Sabha leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu tells Preetha Nair that the Election Commission should start the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh as early as possible so that every voter can be counted on. Excerpts: TDP has approached EC with certain recommendations… The opposition is trying to build a narrative on the ground against the ongoing SIR in Bihar on several counts. Our party is against it. That's the reason the TDP approached the EC and presented suggestions about Andhra Pradesh. We are not talking about Bihar, Andaman, or Tamil Nadu. Our focus is clearly on Andhra Pradesh. We told them that we had elections a year back, and the next election is due only in 2029. We have four years in hand. Since the EC has made it clear that SIR will be conducted across the country, we asked them to start the process in Andhra as early as possible. But Bihar got very little time to do the exercise. We haven't mentioned Bihar in our letter to the EC. What are the other concerns? Our concern is about the main stakeholders in this exercise, that is the voter. It's neither about the politicians, MLAs who are contesting, the officers who have to oversee this whole process, nor the EC conducting this activity. It's about the comfort that we can provide to the voter. We want them to be as comfortable as possible. In Andhra, we have everything available and enough time for four years. We want them to start it soon so that every voter can be counted on, every voter's identity can be created, and we make sure that every voter is identified transparently.
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
EC must stick to its mandate of holding free and fair polls: Manoj K Jha
As the Supreme Court on Monday told the Election Commission to consider Aadhaar and voter cards for the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj K Jha tells Preetha Nair that the poll panel must behave like a constitutional body and stick to its mandate of conducting free and fair elections in the country. Excerpts: EC data says over 65 lakh voters may not figure in Bihar's draft electoral roll. Does it validate the Opposition's concerns on disenfranchisement? We have been consistently saying that the Election Commission is doing the exercise with a hallmark of opacity. For instance, if you look at the different categories— such as diseased, permanently shifted, untraceable or found to be registered at different places—shows lack of transparency. When people are not available, they presume they have moved out. That presumption is flawed. We will watch each and every entry in these categories, once the numbers are shared with our district and state level units, but more importantly, we will go by the Supreme Court, because somewhere the Election Commission has defied their direction by not incorporating Aadhaar, EPIC card and ration card as documents for the SIR. Did you ask EC to share the details of the voters who are excluded from the draft electoral roll? Yes. We have asked details of each category. We will not allow the Election Commission to do it in a brazen manner, where the very idea of inclusion gets lost. The 2024 general election was conducted on the basis of these numbers. Now if they are saying the numbers were flawed, then that election should be called null and void. The EC said that Aadhaar and Voter ID can't be relied upon. The denial of the Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards are in the direction of disenfranchisement. I think that they have decided it much before the exercise. Bihar is one of the most document deficient states. However, Aadhaar has a penetration of 86- 87%.
