Takeaways from Bihar SIR should guide ECI

THE Election Commission of India (ECI) has set the ball rolling for the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which will cover around 51 crore voters in nine states and three union territories. The poll panel has given itself just three months to complete this exercise, which will face a slew of challenges, going by the prolonged controversy over the Bihar SIR. There is no quarrel with the stated objective of ensuring that every eligible voter makes it to the rolls and every ineligible one’s name is struck off. However, the sharp reaction of Opposition parties underscores the urgent need for transparency, neutrality and accountability during the entire process.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has stated that the upcoming SIR is part of a long-overdue nationwide clean-up of voter lists; the last such comprehensive revision took place two decades ago. It’s obvious that a lot of inconsistencies and errors would have crept into the rolls during this long gap (for instance, Prashant Kishor is listed as a voter in Bihar as well as West Bengal). Authentication of these lists is a prerequisite for fair elections. At the same time, the Opposition’s fears cannot be brushed aside. The Congress, CPI(M), Trinamool Congress and other parties apprehend that the SIR may be used to disenfranchise genuine voters — particularly minorities, Dalits and backward classes — under the guise of identifying illegitimate voters. It’s still not known how effective the Bihar exercise, which faced intense judicial scrutiny, has been in weeding out illegal immigrants.

The ECI’s reputation hinges on due diligence and public trust. The integrity and impartiality of the constitutional body which conducts elections should be beyond reproach. The poll panel must be keen on exhaustive verification, consultations with various stakeholders and a foolproof redressal mechanism to prevent the exclusion of genuine voters. Allegations of ‘vote chori’ and other malpractices should be countered with hard evidence, not partisan comments.