Pan-India SIR: Lessons from Bihar can be helpful

THE Election Commission of India (ECI) is planning to carry out Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country. It will be an onerous task, considering the political storm triggered by the ongoing exercise in Bihar. The SIR in the poll-bound state continues to be under judicial scrutiny, with the Supreme Court directing the poll panel earlier this week that Aadhaar card must be recognised as a voter’s proof of identity. The onus is on the ECI to ensure that no eligible citizen is deprived of his/her right to vote, even as the final poll rolls in Bihar are scheduled to be published by the month-end.

A clean-up of voter lists on a pan-India basis is vital to remove errors as well as discrepancies and weed out illegal immigrants. However, the procedure has to be fair, transparent and simple, prioritising the interests and concerns of genuine citizens. The SIR is expected to face resistance in Opposition-ruled states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which are going to the polls next year. DMK minister Durai Murugan has already remarked that the ‘tricks’ used in Bihar won’t work in Tamil Nadu as its people are politically aware and can’t be misled. The ECI needs to bring all stakeholders on board to bridge the trust deficit and strongly dispel the notion that it is favouring the BJP in any way. The perceived absence of a level playing field can undermine the sanctity and integrity of electoral democracy.

Lessons from the Bihar SIR should guide the poll panel as it prepares a roadmap for a similar exercise in other states. It is significant that the apex court’s intervention has prompted the ECI to do introspection and course correction midway. This has happened largely due to the relentless efforts of petitioners such as the Association for Democratic Reforms, whose co-founder Jagdeep Chhokar passed away on Friday. Chhokar was a passionate votary of clean elections. His crusade must continue to serve as a bulwark against attempts to vitiate the poll process.