INDIA bloc leaders meet EC, oppose Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar

Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties met the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and raised their concerns.

Leaders from 11 parties, including the Congress, RJD, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, NCP-SP and Samajwadi Party met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other election commissioners, objecting to the special scrutiny being conducted just a few months ahead of the assembly election in the state.

The INDIA bloc parties have been vocal in their opposition to the exercise of the Special Intensive Revision, which has already started in Bihar, and is to be carried out in five more states -- Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal -- that are going to polls next year.

Briefing media after the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said they also protested against the new directive of the poll panel for entry to the Election Commission premises that asks only party presidents to appear before it.

''For the first time, we were given rules to enter the EC. For the first time we were told only party chiefs can go. Such restriction means necessary dialogue between political parties and EC can't happen,'' Singhvi said.

''We had given a list, no unauthorised person was allowed. Forcing parties to allow only two people is unfortunate,'' he said, adding that some senior leaders had to wait for three hours. Singhvi added that they raised several issues regarding the SIR exercises.

''We asked since last revision, four or five elections have been held in Bihar. The SIR of 2003 was held one year before the Lok Sabha election, it was 24 months before Bihar assembly poll,'' he said, adding that there are little under eight crore voters in Bihar. RJD leader Manoj Jha questioned if the exercise was about disenfranchsing people.

''If you interfere with one person one vote, we will take action,'' he said. ''Are you trying to find 'doubtful voters in Bihar?'' he questioned and also said they raised the issue of the documents being asked for the revision. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said 20 per cent people in Bihar migrate outside the state for work. ''The EC says you will have to be ordinary residents. So those migrant workers are not voters for EC in Bihar. We said the poor will not have these certificates,'' Bhattacharya said. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in the polls slated later this year.

The poll panel has said it has taken additional steps in the intensive revision to ensure illegal migrants do not get enrolled in the voters list.

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