Election Commission clarifies political parties’ role in electoral roll revisions amid criticism and vote deletion concerns.
The Election Commission (EC) has clarified its procedures for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar, responding to criticism from opposition parties over alleged vote deletions and disenfranchisement.
The poll body stated that political parties are involved at all stages of electoral roll preparation.
Key Points on Electoral Roll Process
- Draft electoral rolls, in both physical and digital formats, are shared with all political parties and published on the ECI website.
- A one-month window is provided for filing claims and objections.
- The final voter list is shared with all recognised political parties.
- A two-tiered appeals process is available for disputes or corrections.
EC spokesperson: “It seems that some political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) did not examine the Electoral Rolls at the appropriate time and did not point out errors.”
Political and Legal Context
- Opposition parties have raised concerns that crores of eligible voters could be disenfranchised due to missing or incomplete documents.
- The Supreme Court directed the EC to publish online the list of over 65 lakh voters proposed for deletion during the SIR exercise.
- The EC maintains that the revision process is transparent and political parties had multiple opportunities to suggest corrections.
The EC’s clarification emphasizes that voter roll revision is collaborative, with multiple checks and appeals. However, political debate continues as Bihar heads toward its Assembly elections, with the integrity of voter lists under close scrutiny.
Also Read : Supreme Court Tells Election Commission to Publish Deleted Voter Names in Bihar
