Latest news with #PriyankaGandhi
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
ECI flags Bihar voter list discrepancies: 18 lakh dead, 26 lakh moved, 7 lakh duplicate
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday flagged a number changes in the voter list after conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll in Bihar. The ECI said that it has discovered that 18 lakh of the registered voters have passed away, 26 lakh electors have shifted to another constituencies and seven lakh are duplicate voters. In a release, ECI shared that out of the total 7,89,69,844 voters, 97.30 per cent, or 76,834,228, have filled the enumeration forms so far. The Election Commission said that CEO, DEO, ERO, and BLO officials are actively working with representatives of all political parties and have shared a list of 21.36 lakh electors whose forms are yet to be received. They have also shared a list of nearly 52.30 lakh electors who are reportedly deceased, have permanently shifted, or have enrolled at multiple places. Additionally, detailed lists of voters not found are being shared by EROs/BLOs with political parties, ECI added. The poll body has mentioned that a full month would be given to anyone who wishes to file objections for any additions, deletions, and rectifications in draft electoral rolls. Meanwhile, the Opposition has repeatedly criticised SIR, accusing the NDA alliance of taking voting rights away from people. Also Read | Bihar electoral roll revision: EC ahead of July 25 deadline, over 80% enumeration forms collected so far Expressing strong reservations, MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the election results in Maharashtra were 'rigged' by inflating the voters and now the attempts are underway to remove voters' names in Bihar. She said the SIR exercise was a 'conspiracy to snatch the right to vote.' 'First, in Maharashtra, elections were rigged by inflating voter lists. Now, in Bihar, attempts are being made to do the same by removing voters' names. The 'vote ban' being imposed under the guise of SIR is a conspiracy to snatch the right to vote granted by the Constitution. We stand firmly against every attempt to trample the Constitution,' Priyanka Gandhi said. Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date. (With agency inputs)
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Murdering democracy': Priyanka Gandhi slams government over Bihar SIR row; INDIA bloc protests outside Parliament
File photo: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi (Picture credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, accusing the BJP-led government of trying to "murder democracy" ahead of the state assembly elections. 'They are murdering democracy. We have been protesting against it, and this is wrong,' Gandhi said during a protest at the Parliament premises, as quoted by news agency ANI. Her remarks came amid a united opposition protest led by the INDIA bloc against the Election Commission 's SIR exercise. Several MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, gathered at the Makar Dwar steps of Parliament holding placards reading 'SIR: Stealing Indian Rights' and 'Death of Democracy'. They alleged that the revision of voter rolls was being misused to suppress votes and disenfranchise sections of the population. Posting on X, Priyanka Gandhi accused the government of manipulating elections, first by 'inflating' the voter list in Maharashtra and now by 'removing names' in Bihar. She labelled the SIR as a 'conspiracy to snatch the right to vote granted by the Constitution', adding, 'We stand firmly against every attempt to trample the Constitution.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Better Sleep, Better Mornings Start Here ResMed Buy Now Undo Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi also alleged the government wants to 'cut votes', and vowed that the issue would be raised in Parliament. 'The entire opposition is speaking on it and is united,' he said, as per ANI. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram compared the SIR to the discriminatory Jim Crow laws of segregated America, saying it would be 'used as a tool to disenfranchise people of the minority community'. As per news agency PTI, MPs from Congress, SP, RJD, TMC, DMK and JMM joined the protest and slammed the EC's exercise as 'vote bandi' and an attempt to 'steal elections'. They demanded an immediate halt to the revision process. Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, S Jothimani, Ranjeet Ranjan and Neeraj Dangi moved adjournment motions in both Houses, seeking a debate on the issue. However, amid loud opposition sloganeering, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2:00 pm. Earlier in the day, a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders was held, where they resolved to press for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in Parliament and discuss a range of issues, including the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, the AI 171 crash, and the 'civil war' in Manipur, along with Bihar's SIR row. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the issues raised are directly connected to the people and 'must be given utmost priority'.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Parliament heats up over Bihar roll revision
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar remains a flashpoint between the Election Commission of India and the Opposition, as it rocked the first day of the monsoon session in Parliament on Monday. The poll body has dismissed Aadhaar as one of the documents for the survey - a point of contention for the Opposition - who have alleged massive disenfranchisement. Earlier, the top court left it to the discretion of the Election Commission to decide whether the document should be included. However, in its counter-affidavit, the poll body defended the move, assuring the Supreme Court that the citizenship of a person would not be cancelled if he or she is found ineligible for registration in the roll Opposition isn't buying the argument that the exercise will lead to a cleaner voter list. Hence, the rocky first day of the monsoon session and its spillover on the second day with leaders, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and others, protesting outside the complex with placards showing slogans against the SIR. The leaders raised strong objections, alleging that the revision could be misused to omit the names of minority, Dalit and Opposition-leaning voters ahead of the assembly SMELLS A POLITICAL AGENDAThis is not a revision, but a political operation - Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said in the House on Monday. "Why is this being done only in Bihar and not across the country?" RJD and Trinamool Congress also raised similar concerns, claiming the drive could lead to mass deletions of voters from marginalised communities, especially in rural and minority-dominated regions. "It's a backdoor method to rig elections before they begin," RJD leaders said in Lok Choudhary MP, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), told India Today,"The opposition is scared in Bihar. They are losing, that's why they are now talking about SIR. These statements are useless, that's why they are saying all these. The Opposition knows that they are losing, that's the reason why they have started building this narrative."Congress MP Shashi Tharoor echoed Choudhary, calling the SIR a "backdoor attempt at voter suppression", while RJD leader Manoj Jha termed it a "deletion drive".The Opposition demanded an immediate halt to the process and called for an all-party oversight leader and Union minister Ram Nath Thakur said,"They are in opposition. Certainly they will raise this, but they should also provide evidence against their AND ECI DEFEND SIRIn response, the central government said that the SIR is a routine process and follows the guidelines set by the Election Commission. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in Parliament, "There is no agenda behind this. The EC is simply ensuring a clean and updated electoral roll'.He added that no individual would be "unfairly removed" from the electoral rolls and the revision followed legal ECI has time and again maintained that this process is being done transparently, with public notices and grievance redressal systems in place. The poll body has said that the revision ensures electoral integrity by removing fake or deceased voters and that anyone wrongly removed can OVER TRANSPARENCY AND TIMINGadvertisementDespite these assurances, civil society groups and legal experts have raised eyebrows over the sudden urgency of conducting the has filed its response in the Supreme CourtThe poll body has responded in the Supreme Court to petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in Bihar. It emphasised that the SIR is an inclusive process and every effort is being made to ensure no eligible voter is left what the ECI said:advertisementThe petitions are based on misleading and outdated media reports — not factsIt's a deliberate attempt to twist the narrative and paint the voter revision in a negative lightThe data quoted by the petitioners is old and incorrectInterestingly, many of the petitioners are MPs and MLAs from parties that officially support SIR — and their own booth agents are part of the processThe case is based on suspicion, not reality — no one has lost their voting rights and no violation has taken placeWHY SIR?Many parties had earlier raised concerns about errors in existing voter lists. The SIR is meant to clean up the rolls and restore public trust. It's not just Bihar, the revision is a nationwide exercise. However, Bihar has fast-tracked it due to upcoming next Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for July 28.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Bihar#Bihar Assembly Elections#Parliament
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Is ED being weaponised by Modi government to target opposition? Experts debate
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is turning up the heat on the Congress. First, the ED filed a chart sheet against Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Wadra, in a land deal on Thursday and a day later, the Agency arrested former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel's son, Chaitanya Bhagel in connection with an alleged Rs 2,161 crore liquor scam. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Centre, accusing it of carrying out a "witch hunt" against his brother-in-law Robert Vadra, after the Enforcement Directorate filed its latest chargesheet against him. So, Is ED being weaponised by Modi government to target opposition? And is Congress crying foul or are they justified? Watch as panellists debate.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
In A First For Kerala, Wayanad Coffee Selected For Centre's Promotional Initiative
The GI-tagged robusta coffee from the hill district has received a special mention in the Centre's One District One Product (ODOP) programme, Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi has said. In a post on social media platform X, the Congress leader claimed, "Wayanad Coffee has received a Special Mention under Category A - Agriculture in the GoI's ODOP program - the first such recognition for any product from Kerala". "This honour celebrates the dedication of Wayanad's farmers and the unique identity of our GI-tagged Robusta Coffee, a pillar of Wayanad's economy," she said on X and congratulated everyone who made this possible. "Let us continue to support and celebrate the richness of our land and the spirit of its people," she added. ✨ A proud moment for Wayanad! ✨ Wayanad Coffee has received a Special Mention under Category A – Agriculture in the GoI's ODOP program — the first such recognition for any product from Kerala. This honour celebrates the dedication of Wayanad's farmers and the unique identity… — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 15, 2025 The One District One Product (ODOP) initiative aims to promote balanced regional development across India by selecting, branding, and promoting a unique product from each district.
