Parliament heats up over Bihar roll revision

The Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar stays a flashpoint between the Election Fee of India and the Opposition, because it rocked the primary day of the monsoon session in Parliament on Monday. The ballot physique has dismissed Aadhaar as one of many paperwork for the survey – some extent of competition for the Opposition – who’ve alleged huge disenfranchisement. Earlier, the highest courtroom left it to the discretion of the Election Fee to determine whether or not the doc must be included. Nonetheless, in its counter-affidavit, the ballot physique defended the transfer, assuring the Supreme Court docket that the citizenship of an individual wouldn’t be cancelled if she or he is discovered ineligible for registration within the roll revision.

The Opposition is not shopping for the argument that the train will result in a cleaner voter checklist. Therefore, the rocky first day of the monsoon session and its spillover on the second day with leaders, together with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and others, protesting exterior the advanced with placards displaying slogans towards the SIR. The leaders raised robust objections, alleging that the revision may very well be misused to omit the names of minority, Dalit and Opposition-leaning voters forward of the meeting polls.

OPPOSITION SMELLS A POLITICAL AGENDA

This isn’t a revision, however a political operation – Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi mentioned within the Home on Monday. “Why is that this being carried out solely in Bihar and never throughout the nation?”

RJD and Trinamool Congress additionally raised comparable issues, claiming the drive may result in mass deletions of voters from marginalised communities, particularly in rural and minority-dominated areas. “It is a backdoor methodology to rig elections earlier than they start,” RJD leaders mentioned in Lok Sabha.

Shambhavi Choudhary MP, Lok Janshakti Celebration (Ram Vilas), instructed India In the present day,”The opposition is scared in Bihar. They’re shedding, that is why they’re now speaking about SIR. These statements are ineffective, that is why they’re saying all these. The Opposition is aware of that they’re shedding, that is the rationale why they’ve began constructing this narrative.”

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor echoed Choudhary, calling the SIR a “backdoor try at voter suppression”, whereas RJD chief Manoj Jha termed it a “deletion drive”.

The Opposition demanded a right away halt to the method and referred to as for an all-party oversight committee.

JDU chief and Union minister Ram Nath Thakur mentioned,”They’re in opposition. Actually they may elevate this, however they need to additionally present proof towards their claims.

CENTRE AND ECI DEFEND SIR

In response, the central authorities mentioned that the SIR is a routine course of and follows the rules set by the Election Fee. Regulation Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal mentioned in Parliament, “There isn’t a agenda behind this. The EC is solely making certain a clear and up to date electoral roll’.

He added that no particular person could be “unfairly eliminated” from the electoral rolls and the revision adopted authorized procedures.

The ECI has again and again maintained that this course of is being carried out transparently, with public notices and grievance redressal methods in place. The ballot physique has mentioned that the revision ensures electoral integrity by eradicating pretend or deceased voters and that anybody wrongly eliminated can enchantment.

CONCERNS OVER TRANSPARENCY AND TIMING

Regardless of these assurances, civil society teams and authorized specialists have raised eyebrows over the sudden urgency of conducting the SIR.

ECI has filed its response within the Supreme Court docket

The ballot physique has responded within the Supreme Court docket to petitions difficult the Particular Intensive Revision of voter rolls in Bihar. It emphasised that the SIR is an inclusive course of and each effort is being made to make sure no eligible voter is not noted.

This is what the ECI mentioned:

• The petitions are primarily based on deceptive and outdated media experiences — not information
• It is a deliberate try and twist the narrative and paint the voter revision in a destructive mild
• The information quoted by the petitioners is outdated and incorrect
• Apparently, lots of the petitioners are MPs and MLAs from events that formally help SIR — and their very own sales space brokers are a part of the method
• The case relies on suspicion, not actuality — nobody has misplaced their voting rights and no violation has taken place

WHY SIR?

Many events had earlier raised issues about errors in present voter lists. The SIR is supposed to scrub up the rolls and restore public belief. It is not simply Bihar, the revision is a nationwide train. Nonetheless, Bihar has fast-tracked it on account of upcoming elections.

The subsequent Supreme Court docket listening to is scheduled for July 28.

– Ends

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