Row over Bihar electoral roll intensifies; EC says review necessary

Row over Bihar electoral roll intensifies; EC says review necessary

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Amid protests by opposition parties, the Election Commission on Monday said the special intensive revision is needed as the electoral roll keeps changing due to a variety of reasons and the Constitution mandates it to ensure that only eligible citizens are part of the voters’ list and those not, do not get to vote.

Several opposition parties have said that the intensive revision carries the risk of willful exclusion of voters using the state machinery.

In a statement, the poll panel said the revision of electoral rolls is must as it is a dynamic list which keeps changing due to deaths, migration and addition of new voters who have turned 18.

“Further, Article 326 of the Constitution specifies the eligibility to become an elector. Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary residents in that constituency, are eligible to be registered as an elector,” it said.

The Election Commission said it has uploaded the 2003 electoral roll of Bihar comprising details of 4.96 crore electors, on its website.

It can be used by those in the 2003 list as a documentary evidence while submitting their enumeration form.

It also said that the ease of availability of 2003 electoral rolls of Bihar — published after the last intensive review — would hugely facilitate the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state as now nearly 60 per cent of the total electorate would not have to submit any documents.

They have to just verify their details from the 2003 electoral rolls and submit the filled-up enumeration form.

Both the electors as well the booth level officers (BLOs) would be able to readily access these details.

It noted that anyone whose name is not in the 2003 Bihar electoral roll can still use the extract of 2003 electoral roll rather than providing any other documents for his/her mother or father.

In such cases, no other document would be required for his/her mother or father. Only the relevant extract/details of the 2003 ER would be sufficient.

Such electors would have to submit the documents only for themselves along with the filled-up enumeration form.

EC asserted that before every election, revision of electoral roll is mandatory according to the Representation of People Act 1950 and Rule 25 of the Registration of Elector Rules 1960. The EC has been conducting annual revisions, intensive as well as summary revision for 75 years now.