CPI(ML) (Liberation) objections against draft poll roll in Bihar rise 5-fold in 24 hours

There has been a five-fold rise in objections raised by the CPI(ML) (Liberation) within a span of 24 hours between the morning hours of August 26 and 27 against the draft electoral rolls in Bihar. The party had raised 10 objections by Tuesday, while the number rose to 53 on Wednesday.

According to the data released by the Election Commission, almost four weeks after it opened month-long window for enabling voters and political parties in Bihar to register their claims and objections, only claims from the CPI(ML) (Liberation) have been forthcoming.

Last week, RJD leader Manoj Jha had alleged that contrary to EC's claim that political parties have not been recording their objections, they had tried but whenever their booth-level assistants approach the authorities, they are turned away.

When asked about RJD's allegation, EC sources dismissed them, terming them as misleading.

Since August 1, when the window opened, the poll panel has been publishing daily updates, which till last week showed zero claims or objections filed by political parties despite the Opposition's allegations of addition and deletion of names in the draft rolls.

On August 22, CPI(ML) (Liberation) filed two claims, which later rose to 10, and now within 24 hours, went up to 53, even as no other major political party -- namely the Congress and the RJD -- have filed any claims till date. CPI(ML)(Liberation) is also a part of the INDIA bloc.

The EC officials have been saying that responses were awaited from political parties to raise any objections or claims they might have regarding the draft electoral roll, for which they have time till September 1.

Notable, the Congress-led Opposition parties have been alleging that the SIR was aimed at systematically removing poor, migrant and marginalised voters from the original list of voters in Bihar.

The draft electoral rolls for Bihar were uploaded on the EC website on August 1. During the special intensive revision exercise, it was found that 65 lakh people had either died, permanently shifted or had voter ID cards in two different places. Such voters face the prospect of deletion of their names from the electoral rolls after September 1.