Election Commission's 5 questions to public amid Bihar SIR row

Aiming to mobilise public opinion in favour of the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar to counter Opposition backlash against it and allegations of vote theft, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has prepared a set of five questions to seek views of common voters.

Though not asked officially, it has prepared the following set of questions for the voters:

1. Should voter rolls be revised and scrutinised extensively?
2. Shouldn't the names of the dead be removed from the electoral rolls?
3. Should the names of electors be removed from the list if they are registered elsewhere?
4. Shouldn't those voters be excluded from the list, who have settled in other states?
5. Shouldn't the foreigners and 'outside elements' be denied voting rights?

The poll panel has come under direct attack with the Congress-led Opposition parties accusing it of alleged voter fraud and electoral malpractices, in "connivance" with the ruling BJP.

The matter was also dragged to the Supreme Court, which directed the poll panel to ensure the inclusion of all voters in the list.

Under SIR, the voter identification drive was carried out by thousands of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in coordination with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) deputed by political parties.

The Opposition has alleged that the exercise is aimed at excluding migrant, poor and Dalit voters in Bihar.

During the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several INDIA bloc MPs, were detained while marching to the Election Commission office in Delhi.

The protests also reached Parliament as Opposition members alleged large-scale irregularities in Bihar’s draft voter rolls, citing cases like that of the “124-year-old" Minta Devi being listed as a first-time voter.