This year, Bihar is set to hold assembly elections, energizing all political parties. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has raised serious concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being carried out by the Election Commission in Bihar.
In a press conference in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav stated that they approached the Election Commission on July 5th with their queries, yet no clear answers have been provided. A delegation approached the Election Commission both in Delhi and Bihar, as the Patna Commission lacks decision-making authority. Thus, their inquiries have been referred to Delhi.
He mentioned that despite the opposition's questions, no clarifications have been offered. The Commission has asked voters for 11 documents which many do not possess, though they do have Aadhar cards, ration cards, and MGNREGA cards. This clearly implies that those without these 11 documents risk being excluded from the voter list.
Tejashwi questioned why Aadhar, valid across India, is not accepted in Bihar. The instructions concerning the voter list change every hour, eroding democratic rights. The link between Aadhar cards and voters is absent in Bihar. This verification process, expected within 18 days, is anything but transparent.
Raising concerns about the credibility of the Election Commission, he highlighted the contradiction in their messaging on Facebook. There is a significant difference between an advertisement and a memorandum. Voters are overwhelmed by the demand for 11 types of documents. Yesterday, newspapers carried an ad suggesting that in the absence of required documents, a simple form can be filed with the BLO. However, these conflicting ads create confusion and frustration among voters.
He highlighted a Facebook post from July 6th, stating voters could submit documents at a later date. Yet, an hour later, another post mentioned a July 25th deadline for submissions. He questioned if the Election Commission is governed merely by advertisements rather than official orders. Why isn't there an order issued if no malpractices are intended? Could the absence of documents facilitate the removal of certain groups from voter lists? Why has Aadhar been omitted from the document list?
Politician
Tejashwi Yadav
raises doubts about the voter verification process.
